Good Enough
by Zeea
Summary: Roles are reversed, and Roswell is a different place for everyone
1. Chapter 1

Title: Good Enough

Author: Zia

Rating: Teen/Mature

Summary: Roles are reversed, and Roswell is a different place for everyone

and I'm still waiting for the rain to fall  
pour real life down on me   
cause I can't hold on to anything this good  
enough  
am I good enough  
for you to love me too?

Evanescence

Maria sat outside, hunched over behind the trailer, a worn out blanket around her shoulders and a cup of now cold tea in her hands. Her blond hair fell around her face like a curtain. He was drunk again, like so many nights. She was cold, the temperature was just barely above freezing. She couldn't feel her toes anymore. But he was still awake. She could hear him in there. Cursing, and throwing things and she was terrified. She heard a twig snap and she flinched and held her breath. "Maria?" The voice was quiet, and a friendly one.

"Alex?" She murmured lifting her head up.

"Come on sweetie." He moved closer and held his hand out to her.

Maria quickly put down the mug and grasped his hand, his hands were so warm they stung against her flesh, but she didn't care. He was a warm body. Alex pulled her into his chest and held her close. "Come on, lets get you someplace warm."

Together they walked out of the trailer park and the short distance to his house. They walked along the side of the house and in the side door through the kitchen. "Tea?" He offered and Maria nodded quickly, but then ducked her head low again. She was pretty sure Hank had left a bruise on the side of her face before she'd managed to get away. "How bad was it?" Alex asked, and watched as she just shrugged. "Let me see?"

Slowly Maria raised her head to allow Alex to survey the damage. "Shit Maria." He hissed and made her sit down. He grabbed a washcloth and got it wet before going to work on dabbing at the blood on her lip, and on the cut by her eye.

Ever since Maria was little Alex had taken care of her, he was a few years old, and an only child, he seemed to adopt her as his little sister. After Maria's foster mom had been arrested on drug charges she was stuck with Hank. It wasn't long before Hank started to hit her. And late one night Maria had taken off running through the field behind the trailer park and ended up in Alex's backyard. And since that day he'd taken care of her.

"Maria..."

"Alex, please." She knew what he was going to say, that she needed to get out of there, away from Hank, but where else could she go? She was 16 years old, no one wanted to adopt a 16 year old girl with that kind of baggage.

"Can you fix it?" He asked and gently touched her cheek.

"Not yet. I just... I can't right now." She couldn't focus enough. The pain was too much.

"Go take a shower, I'll get some pajamas for you. The guest room is set up, like always." Alex stood up and kissed the top of Maria's head. "I'll get your tea started."

"Thank you, Alex." Maria murmured and headed for the stairs. Alex's parents were asleep. They didn't know just how bad Hank was, but they knew that things weren't good. That was the only reason they never argued about Maria staying there.

Once in the shower, with the hot water pelting down on her frozen skin, she started to feel a little better. The feeling was coming back to her fingers, and her toes. Her muscles were relaxing, and thanks to the aspirin she'd taken the pain was beginning to fade from her head. In the morning she would be able to fix it. Before she had to leave for school she would erase it like it never happened. Like always. And no one would ever know. Like always.

Maria finished her shower and wrapped herself in a towel before walking out of the bathroom, and into the guest room. On the bed she found a pair of boxers and an over sized t-shirt to change into. After she had changed Maria headed back down the stairs and into the kitchen. Alex was sitting there, a cup of tea in front of him, and there was a cup sitting beside the kettle. "It's your favorite." He told her taking a sip of his own.

"Thank you Alex." She murmured for the second time that night.

"Maria... this has to end." Alex said still staring at his cup.

"What part? You coming to my rescue every night?"

"That too." He sighed. "I'm leaving for school at the end of August. Maria. I can't leave here knowing that you're going to have to fend for yourself, that you're going to be sitting outside all night because there is no one to save you from the monster that is your foster father."

"What do you suggest Alex? Tell people? Great. Just what I need. Drama. No one is going to want someone like me in there house. I'm a screw up Alex. You know that. No foster parent in their right mind would take me in."

"You're not a screw up Maria. You're just..."

"Just... what? A freak? Alex. You're my best friend. Hell, you're my only friend, as sad as that sounds."

"I am not your only friend."

"Name one. Just one other person. Face it Alex, you are the only one."

"Maria..."

"Stop doing that Alex. Saying my name like that. Like I'm just some social case." Maria poured some tea in the the cup she'd been clutching. "Look, I know you're leaving, but... don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"No you won't."

"Alex, are you forgetting about my wonderful little magical powers? I can handle Hank."

"No you can't Maria. If you could handle him, you would have done something already. You would have done something tonight when he beat the shit out of you. Did he... Maria... did he...?"

"We are not having this conversation." Maria gulped down the tea, burning her throat in the process before hurrying out of the kitchen. She rushed up the stairs and into the bedroom before Alex could follow her, she locked the door. Using her powers to give it a little more security.

Once she was safely in the room she sunk down to her knees and began to cry. Alex was right. She couldn't handle Hank. She never could, and she never would be able to, no matter what she thought. She was terrified of him, and she didn't know what her powers could do. She was afraid of doing something, and everyone finding out who she was... what she was. She knew she wasn't human. Alien? Just really special? She dreamed for the later, but knew what she was. She had dreams, with other people, but they never had faces. She didn't know who they were, but they were like her. On some distant planet, in another lifetime. She'd loved. She knew that she had. And the man she loved, was not who she was supposed to love, and the cost of that love was her own life.

Maybe none of that was true, maybe it really was just a dream. One that she'd had since she was a child. But maybe, just maybe it was real?

Maria crawled into bed after awhile, after her sobs had subsided. She yanked the blankets up over her head and was enveloped in their warmth, and clean scent. Moments later she found herself drifting off to sleep, to her pleasant dreams. Her dreams of the soldier. The king. The princess. And of course, herself, the Queen. It was such a wonderful dream.

_Her soldier. The one she loved, the one she wasn't supposed to love. He held her. With a passion that she had never felt before. It was love, and it was forbidden. "He'll find out." She whispered against his lips when he claimed them in a kiss._

"_I don't care." He whispered back, and laid her down on the lush bed._

Maria woke up early the next morning. Her body was still tingling. She couldn't quite remember everything that had happened in the dream. But the way he held her, it had felt so real. Quickly she climbed out of bed and gathered her clothes from the night before and left the Whitman's house. She wanted to get out of there before Alex woke up.

She left the house and walked the short distance back to the trailer park. Ever so slowly she pushed open the door and saw Hank passed out on the couch. She let out a breath and walked down the hallway to her room. She changed her clothes and grabbed her book bag. But before she left she stopped in the bathroom, and took in her appearance. The cut near her eye was pretty bad, and her lip was split. Sighing Maria reached up and touched the cut and closed her eyes, trying her hardest to concentrate. When she opened her eyes again the cut was almost completely healed. But only almost. There was a bit of a scratch left, and some swelling. "Shit." She hissed quietly, and touched her lip, it healed easily. But she couldn't focus enough energy to heal the cut. It just wouldn't heal. Sighing she gave up and headed to school.

Alex Whitman was normally a very calm guy. Easy going, generally happy. But at the moment he was pissed. He was seething. Maria Whitmoore had been avoiding him. She was avoiding him like the plague. All day long. School was almost out, and she was nowhere to be seen, for all he knew, she was dead. She'd gone back to the trailer and Hank had murdered her. He'd asked around, but most people really didn't know her, they didn't pay much attention to whether or not she was around.

"Hey, Alex." His mood brightened considerably hearing his girlfriends voice.

"Iz." He smiled and hugged her to him. "Nice." He said admiring the cheerleading uniform she was sporting. Her dark blond hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail

"What's wrong?" Isabel Evans asked with a frown.

"What do you mean?" Alex shook his head a little.

"Alex... you've been walking around school all day like a zombie. I actually heard someone say you were being an asshole, so... tell me what's going on." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a serious look. The look that meant don't fuck with me. He knew that look.

"Maria." Alex relented.

"Hank hit her again?" Isabel asked softly, her features instantly turning to concern.

Alex knew Maria would kill him if she found out that Isabel knew about Hank beating her. But what other choice did Alex have? Isabel was his girlfriend and she was getting suspicious of why Alex was always taking the girl into his house. Or bailing on Isabel in favor of Maria.

"Yeah." Alex nodded slightly. "Then we got into an argument about it last night... she took off before I got up this morning, I haven't seen her since. I don't know where she went or what might have happened to her."

"I'm sure she is fine Alex." Isabel tried to reassure him. "Did you try going to the trailer park? See if she was there?" He shook his head a little. "Why don't you go?"

"Your game..." It was the first game of the season. Meaning the first cheer for the season too. Alex always liked to come and watch Iz perform.

"There will be other games Alex. She's your best friend. Go find her." Isabel was disappointed. She couldn't help it. Sometimes she did wonder who was more important to him. Maria, or herself? They had been dating for three years now, and Isabel did have hopes of a future with him.

"I love you, you know that right?" Alex smiled a little and kissed her softly. "I'll try to be back before the game."

"Just be careful!" Isabel called after him.

"Hey Iz... where is Alex running off to?" Tess, Isabel's best friend asked walking up to her. Tess was dressed in the same cheerleading outfit, and always had a little spring in her step. How the girl always had so much energy Isabel wasn't sure. She had occasionally wondered if Tess took massive amounts of caffeine pills to stay so energetic.

"He had some stuff to do." Isabel shrugged a little. "You ready for the game?"

"As always!" Tess bounced a little, her tight curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"More so because Kyle is playing?" Isabel laughed softly and Tess gave her a little push.

"Hush!" Tess' eyes went wide and she looked around quickly, worried someone might have heard. Tess had been crushing on Kyle Valenti for years. Since childhood. But never had the guts to approach him. They were in the same crowd, they had the same friends. But Tess hid her lust for the boy.

"Come on." Isabel laughed. "Lets go to practice." She linked her arm with Tess' and dragged her towards the field. As they walked they passed Kyle and a few of his football buddies. "Hi Kyle." Isabel singsonged, and Tess turned bright pink.

"Hey Iz...hey Tess." Kyle smiled at the girls. The kind of smile that always made the girls weak in the knees. That makes their hearts flutter. Those eyes. That smile.

"Hey Kyle." Tess bit her lip a little. The toe of her shoe caught a crack in the sidewalk, and if it wasn't for Isabel still holding her arm she would have fallen flat on her face. She stumbled and caught herself and saw Kyle still watching her.

Mortified. That is what she was. Completely and totally mortified. "Oh my god." Tess breathed once they were out of sight of Kyle and his friends. "Oh. My. God. I cannot believe I did that. I almost fell on my face. In front of Kyle!" She hissed.

"But you didn't."

"But he saw me trip!"

"Tess... so what? People trip all the time."

"Yeah, completely clumsy idiots!" Tess shook her head. "I'm going to fall tonight."

"What?" Isabel laughed at her friend, she was being ridiculous.

"Off the pyramid. In front of Kyle. I'm going to fall. I just know it."

"You're going to jinx yourself. You won't fall." Isabel tried to reassure her.

"Yes I will. I will fall on my ass... or worse! My face! I'll break my nose! Or chip a tooth, and who wants to date a girl with a broken face?!" Tess was getting hysterical, and Isabel was getting exasperated.

"Tess. Stop. You aren't going to fall. You'll do fine. You've done this a hundred times. You're always the top of the pyramid. You've never fallen."

"You'll drop me! The girls on the bottom! You'll all drop me!" Tess started pacing back and forth and Isabel banged her head up against the chain link fence.

"If you don't stop freaking out, I will tell the girls to intentionally drop you!" Isabel cried in frustration. That got Tess' attention.

"You wouldn't dare." She stared at her friend who raised an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't I?" Tess scowled at Isabel who just laughed and hugged her. "Got your mind off it didn't it?"

"I hate you." Tess laughed and regained her composure as the other girls began to arrive.

Alex arrived at the trailer park and took a breath. Hopefully Maria wasn't even here. But then he would be forced to kill her for making him worry so much. He walked up to the trailer and noticed Hank's truck was gone so he braved himself and opened the door. The living room was empty but reeked of stale beer. "Maria?" He called out cautiously. "Maria? Are you home?" No response. He walked down the hallway to her bedroom and pushed open the door. "Maria?" Still nothing. He checked the bathroom, and the closet. She wasn't there. He let out a relieved sigh and left the trailer after checking behind it of course. He didn't find her. He didn't know where else to look. He gave up and drove back to the school, just in time to catch the end of Isabel's practice.

"You find her?" Isabel asked sinking down onto the bleacher beside him.

"Nope."

"Do you know where else to look?" Alex just shrugged looking out over the field at the football players practicing.

"Where is Tess?" He asked.

"Probably having another panic attack." He raised an eyebrow. "She tripped in front of Kyle today and is all freaked out about making a fool of herself at the game."

"She'll do great, she always does."

"I know. But she won't listen to me." Isabel sighed and rested her head on Alex's shoulder. "You love me?"

"Of course." Alex kissed the top of her head and slid his arm around her shoulders.

Across town Maria was in the bathroom at the Crashdown cafe, after spending her whole day hiding from Alex she had left early. When she arrived at the cafe she had talked to the owner about getting a job. Mr. Parker was more than happy to hire her, he was in desperate need of help in the restaurant. And now she was changing into the god awful teal colored dress, with antenna and alien apron.

Maria pulled her hair back into a ponytail before sticking the antenna on her head and rolling her eyes. "But I don't have antenna!" She hissed at her reflection. With a sigh she walked out of the bathroom to the front of the restaurant where Liz Parker, the waitress in charge was waiting for her.

"Hi Maria." Liz smiled at the girl. "So... you've never waited tables before?"

"No..." Maria shook her head and looked around the mostly empty restaurant.

"It's pretty dead now, hopefully we'll be able to train you well enough. There is a game tonight, after the game the players and everybody usually come out here. It can get pretty busy."

"Just show me what I need to know." Maria plastered a smile on her face, fake though it was, while Liz went over the menu with her, and all the things she would need to know. Where the condiments were kept. What to do at the end of the night when they closed. Maria thought her brain was melting. She wasn't sure she could take this much longer.

And just when she thought it couldn't get worse, it did. The entire football team walked through the door cheering. Soon followed by half the population of the school. "Ready?" Liz asked with a smile before spotting her boyfriend. "Max!" She smiled and launched herself into his arms. "How was the game?"

"Good. They won." Max kissed her quickly. "Who is that." He nodded towards the girl behind the counter, looking like a deer in the headlights.

"New hire. It's her first night, make the guys go easy on her." Liz kissed him again before walking back over to Maria. "Alright, your section is going to be just those three tables there... me and Delores will pick up the rest." Liz gave Maria's arm a gentle nudge. "Go. It won't be that bad."

Maria took a deep breath readying herself before walking over to the first table. "Hi, my name is Maria, what can I get you guys to drink?" She asked and then glanced up and came face to face with a very angry Alex. "Alex." She yelped.

"We need to talk later." He ground out and she bit her lip. Everyone at the table was staring between the two. Isabel, Tess, Kyle and Michael. Only Isabel knew what was going on, the rest were completely in the dark.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Maria asked again, determined to get through the night.

She got her drink orders for all of her tables and was heading back to one with several Blood of Alien smoothies on a tray in her hand. Just before she reached the table the tray teetered. She knew it was going to fall before it happened. The tray started to go one way. Her other hand shot up to steady it, but accidentally over compensated.

All four glasses hit the ground, the smoothie shot back up into the air as the glasses shattered. For a moment the entire restaurant was silent. Maria's eyes were clenched shut, but she could feel the cold liquid dripping down her neck, and over her face. She opened one eye first, they were all staring at her. Then the other eyes and glanced down. There was glass and smoothie at her feet. The tray was still in her smoothie coated hand. A drop fell from her nose and the entire restaurant broke into laughter.

She wanted to die right then and there. To be struck down by a freak bolt of lightening. "Guys... guys shut up." She heard Max trying to shut up the laughter, but she could tell he was fighting hard to control his own. The only people not laughing were Liz, and everyone at Alex's table. Alex stood up quickly and shot a glare at everyone. But it didn't stop the hysterics. Only when Michael Guerin stood up and crossed his arms over his chest did everyone instantly shut up.

"Oh sweetie." Isabel sighed and stood up from the booth. "Tess? Come on." Both still dressed in their cheerleading uniforms they ushered Maria into the back room.

"I'm fine, I've got it thanks." Maria said a little unsure. Why where they helping her all of the sudden? She truly was an outcast. She'd never spoken more than two words to Isabel.

"Yeah, doing just fine. I'm sure." Isabel grabbed a towel and glanced around. "Oh." She spotted a large sink. "Come here."

"Why are you doing this?" Maria asked, doing her best to keep her voice from cracking.

"Because, you're Alex's friend." Tess spoke up. "Do you have a spare uniform?"

"You think I'm actually going back out there?!" Maria asked incredulously.

"Of course you are." Isabel said. "Come here. We can wash your hair out in here."

"I'm not going back out there. I just made a fool out of myself in front of half the school population!" Tess and Isabel just shook their heads as they ushered the sticky girl over to the sink and began washing the mess from her hair.

"You didn't make a fool of yourself." Tess tried to reassure her.

"Did you or did you not hear them all laughing? Did you not see me throw four stupid shakes on myself?"

"People do things like that all the time. Tomorrow they won't remember." Tess tried again.

"Won't remember? Yeah, right. They'll just suddenly forget about that." Maria winced when Isabel pulled the hair band from her hair. "Ow."

"If it makes you feel any better, today I tripped in front of the guy I've been in love with for years." Tess offered with a small smile.

"Hey Maria?" Liz appeared a little while later. "If you want to go ahead and leave you can... Delores and I have it covered. Just... come back tomorrow? You're a good server. I'd hate to loose you over something like this." Liz smiled a little before disappearing.

"Change back into your regular clothes, you're joining us for dinner." Isabel smiled shutting off the water.

Maria took the towel and used it to dry off her now clean face. "What?"

"You heard me." Isabel smiled. Tess slipped out of the back room a second later. "Look, Alex has been worried sick about you all day, now, I don't know why..." She trailed off noticing the cut high up on her cheek. "But, Alex cares about you, and he's been worried, the least you could do is let him buy you dinner."

"I ... can't..."

"Why not?" Isabel asked and Maria looked down.

"I just can't."

"Give me an actual reason, and I might think of letting you out of it." Isabel shook her head and opened her purse, she dug around for a moment before finding what she wanted. "Sit." Maria did obediently and Isabel cupped her face. Carefully she dabbed some concealer to the cut, doing her best not to hurt her. "There. Now... do you have a decent reason why you can't stay and hang out with us?"

Maria sighed and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. The cut was almost invisible.

"I didn't think so." Isabel smiled and handed Maria her clothes. "Go change... and don't even think of sneaking out of here." She ushered Maria towards the bathroom before heading back out to the front of the restaurant. She looked at everyone who was chatting amongst themselves. The mess was cleaned up, and there were no traces of it anymore. Isabel stopped in the middle of the restaurant. "Alright. I want to make it perfectly clear. That never happened. If a single one of you say anything, you even chuckle at her expense. You'll wish you were never born." Isabel glanced around at everyone who simply nodded in understanding. Next to Michael, Isabel was one of the scariest people at the school. Everyone knew not to mess with her. "She'll be coming out of the bathroom in a moment, and she will be joining us for dinner. You will all behave." Isabel hissed before sliding back into the booth beside Alex.

Maria stood in the bathroom, changed back into her normal clothes. Her hair was still wet. She felt sticky. Sighing she waved her hand over her skin, at least she could do something about the sticky without anyone knowing. Wait. She was actually going out there? To 'hang out' with Alex, and his friends, and the popular people? She sighed. "I guess I am." She pushed open the door and cautiously stepped out.

She waited. She waited for the laughter. For the pointing, for the jokes. A few people glanced up, but paid no real attention to the fact that she was walking in on their territory. Slowly she made her way across the diner to where Alex sat with his friends. Isabel and Tess smiled warmly at her when she reached the table. Alex moved over to allow her room in the booth.

"Proper introductions." Tess smiled. "This is Kyle and Michael, guys, that's Maria. Now play nice." Tess was perfectly content where she sat between Kyle and Michael. Two of the most lusted after guys in school, and she was happily sandwiched between them.

"I always play nice." Kyle smiled. "Hey Maria." He shifted in the booth and draped his arm over the back of the seat, behind Tess. Her eyes went wide for a moment when his fingers brushed over her shoulder, but she quickly got over it and just smiled.

"Michael." Isabel hissed across the table. He was just staring at Maria. His eyes shifted for a moment before settling back on Maria, who shifted nervously in her seat.

"Hey." Maria nearly melted at the sound of his voice.

"Hi." She whispered back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It seemed like they had been there for hours. Maria was keeping quiet mostly, just listening to them joking and telling stories. They were all close friends and had known each other for so long. Maria felt so out of place.

"Oh Maria, it is sort of a tradition that we go over to my house after the games and hang out, you know, watch a movie, you should join us." Isabel smiled at the girl who she decided was her new friend.

"Oh... I really should be getting home."

Isabel's eyes went wide and she shot a look at Alex, demanding that he convince her not to go home. "Maria, come with us." Alex urged.

"No, Alex, really, I need to be getting home." Maria stood up and dug what little money she did have out of her pocket and tossed it on the table. "I'll see you at school on Monday." She told him.

"I'll walk you home." Alex jumped up from the booth.

"Alex, sit down." Maria insisted. "I'll be fine, just, go and have fun, I'll talk to you later."

Michael stood up from the booth and Maria tried to avoid the look he was giving her. "I've got to work in the morning, so I'm not coming over Iz. I'll walk Maria home."

"I don't need anyone to walk me home." Maria cried softly. "Look, I appreciate it, but... no."

"Maria, I think it has been established, you're not getting out of here alone." Tess smiled. "Just let Michael walk you home, and we'll talk to you later."

Exasperated, Maria finally relented. After grabbing her book bag from the back room she tried to sneak out the side door but Michael was standing there waiting. "You really don't have to do this, I get you were trying to be nice, but I don't live that far."

"I am going that way anyways."

"You don't even know where I live."

"The trailer park."

Maria flinched slightly. "Oh..." She bit her lip then glanced over at him. "Where do you live?"

"Over on Alameda."

"Michael... that is no where near the trailer park." Maria stopped walking and just looked at him.

"I know. Let's go."

She shook her head. "No, you're not walking me home."

"Maria, don't argue with me. You're not walking home alone." He was standing there, with his arms over his chest giving her this look that she knew better than to argue with. Finally she relented and began walking again.

After a few minutes Maria gathered up the nerve to speak. "So... Amy DeLuca is your mom isn't she?"

"Yep."

Maria glanced at him and then back at the ground. "She runs that little shop on main doesn't she?"

"Yep." He responded again and Maria decided to give up. He wasn't going to actually talk, and she didn't blame him. They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they reached the entrance of the trailer park Maria stopped again.

"Thanks for walking me home. I appreciate it."

"No problem." Michael shoved his hands in his pocket. The wind was picking up and it suddenly got a lot colder. "Get inside, it's cold out." He nodded towards the trailers.

"I will... thanks." Maria bit her lip and then turned and jogged into the trailer park and down the dirt road to the trailer she shared with Hank. She pushed open the door and froze in her footsteps.

"Where the hell were you?" He growled from his spot on the recliner.

"What do you care?" Maria snapped back heading through the living room.

His hand shot out and grabbed her arm with so much force that Maria fell to her knees. "You stupid little bitch." Hank raised his hand and back handed her across the face, her head snapped to the side and she choked on a cry of pain.

Maria could feel the blood dripping from her lip. Slowly she raised her hand up to wipe away the drop of blood when he struck her again. Unprepared for the hit she fell, sprawling out across the floor. Tears welled up in her eyes and she didn't move. She laid there frozen. Hoping that maybe he was done. Maybe he would leave her alone. Sometimes a few slaps was good enough. Sometimes it wasn't.

The volume of the TV grew louder and Maria glanced over her shoulder. He had gone back to watching the show on television. Forgetting completely about her, and his desire to hurt her. Quietly as she could, Maria pushed herself up onto all fours and cautiously crawled out of the room, doing her best to make as little noise as possible. Once she reached the hall she pulled herself to her feet and walked the short distance down the hallway to her room. Once inside she locked the door and rushed to the closet and climbed inside.

With the door shut tightly she was safe in the dark. She rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes, and silently wished that she could wake up from all of this and it would just be a dream.

_Maria sat beside her King. Beside him was his sister, and next to her was her betrothed. The Soldier. Maria's love. Carefully Maria cast a glance towards him, when he caught her gaze she blushed and straightened herself again. If anyone found out it would mean death. The King would find himself a new bride, a faithful bride. But she didn't care. She was in love._

Maria woke up early the next morning with a sore neck. She yawned and slowly opened the closet door. Her bedroom door was still in one piece, so apparently Hank had completely forgotten about her. She slowly opened her bedroom door and saw him passed out in the chair, a can of beer in his hand. She nodded slightly before heading for the bathroom. She rigged the door so he couldn't get in before stripping off her clothes and turning on the water.

After a quick shower she surveyed the situation. Hank was still asleep. The cut on her lip was healed and she had to work in a few hours. She locked her bedroom door again and dug her dirty uniform out of her bag and looked at it. It was a mess. With a sigh she held it up and waved her hand over it. The stains faded into nothing and Maria tossed the uniform on her bed. She was actually going back? She needed the money. Plus, it was a bonus to be away from Hank. But the whole fact that Alex's friends had suddenly latched onto her worried her. She'd never really had friends before and she wondered if Alex had just tried to convince them to be her friend.

They were all older than her. So if it was Alex's attempt to save her from being alone after he left, he wasn't doing a very good job of it. They would all leave the next fall as well.

Rolling her eyes, Maria picked up the uniform and stuffed it back into her bag and put on her shoes. Might as well go to work early. She had nothing else to do.

Maria reached the diner and walked inside. A few patrons were seated in their booths happily eating away at their fried food. She headed for the back room and smiled at Liz. "Hey."

"Maria! Oh you did come back!" Liz jumped a little in excitement and hugged the unsuspecting girl.

"Uh... yeah..."

"I was worried... that after, well you know. That you wouldn't come back." Liz frowned a little.

"I need the job." Maria shrugged. "I guess it'll take more than a few spilled shakes to get me out of here." Maria gave her a small smile.

"Ladies! I don't cook for myself!" A voice bellowed from the kitchen and Maria glanced over and spotted Michael standing at the grill. "And look who came back." He smirked a little.

Maria suddenly felt a little flustered and quickly hurried into the bathroom to change into her uniform. She walked back out tying the apron around her waist and then adjusting her antenna.

"Nice antenna." She heard and glanced up and saw Max, Liz's boyfriend, Captain of the wrestling team sitting at the bar.

"Thanks." Maria said a little awkwardly.

"I always try to convince Liz to wear them off the clock." He smirked as Liz rounded the corner.

"And I refuse." She laughed and swatted his arm. "So, ready to feed the masses?" Liz asked turning to Maria.

"Um... I guess?"

"That's the spirit!" Max laughed and shook his head.

"You'll get used to it, I promise." Liz gave her an encouraging smile. She spun around suddenly and rushed towards the window into the kitchen. "No cheese!" She yelped.

"I'm not a mind reader Liz." Michael barked at her.

"Sorry." She winced and turned back to Max. "Can't you make him be nice?" She asked with a whisper.

"Don't look at me. He never listens to a word I say." Max shook his head.

A few hours into Maria's shift, Alex walked through the door. "You and me need to have a little talk."

"Alex, I'm working."

"Oh, go ahead and take a break Maria. It's about time for it anyways." Liz smiled and turned back around and headed to a table.

"Thanks." Maria muttered, not meaning it in the least. "Alright, we'll talk." Maria sighed and headed to a booth in the corner with Alex.

"Where were you yesterday?" Alex asked with concern.

"I skipped school. The cut was still there... I didn't want people to see it."

"It's still there." Alex noticed.

"I know. I can't heal it." She whispered. "It won't go away."

"Was he home when you got home last night?" Alex glanced around the restaurant. Maria didn't respond. "He hit you?" Still silence. "Damn it, Maria. I am not going to sit around and let him keep doing this to you." He hissed.

"What are you going to do?" Maria asked raising her head.

"Tell someone. Anyone. Sheriff Valenti."

"I'll deny it Alex. You have no proof." He stared at her, in shock.

"Why would you protect him."

"Because, no matter how much you hate it. That is the closet thing I have to a home. And people find out? I get bounced around from foster home to foster home for the next two years.

"Wouldn't that be worth it? To not have to deal with him anymore?"

"And what? End up with someone worse?" Maria hissed at him before standing up quickly. "You tell anyone, I'll deny it." She said before turning on her heel and heading back to the counter.

"You okay?" Max asked from where he still sat at the counter.

"Fine." Maria snapped, then winced. "Sorry." She sighed.

When Monday rolled around, Maria hadn't expected anything to change. Just like any other day at school. Another day of being ignored, and ignoring everyone. Only that wasn't what she got. She was standing at her locker when she noticed the first change. "Hey Maria." Liz smiled as she walked past. Nothing big, a casual 'hi' in the hallways. Maria headed for first period and was grabbed as soon as she reached the door, and dragged to a new seat, by no one other than Tess.

The day got weirder and weirder as it went on. People were saying hi to her in the halls, and she had acquired new seats in almost all her classes. She hadn't realized how many classes she shared with Tess and Isabel. Lunch came, and instead of sitting by herself as usual, she was trapped between Isabel and Tess who were talking animatedly about cheerleading.

After school Maria did her best to try and sneak away from the school but was cornered by Alex. "I'll give you a ride."

"No." She shook her head.

"Maria, why does everything have to be a fight with you?" He asked annoyed. "Just get in the car. We need to talk."

"I have to work Alex."

"I'll give you a ride to work. You can spare two seconds to talk to me, can't you?"

"Fine." Maria sighed and climbed into the car with him. "So what is it that you want to talk about? How all your friends suddenly decided I'm their new pet project?"

"It isn't like that Maria. Isabel and Tess really like you. They think your nice, and they want to be your friend."

"Maybe I don't want friends?"

"If you didn't want friends you'd be doing a better job of refusing. I'm just saying... maybe it would be good for you to have some friends."

"Did you put them up to it?"

"Of course not, Maria. They genuinely like you, though at the moment, I'm beginning to wonder why." Maria's jaw dropped and she slapped his arm.

"You jerk."

Alex chuckled. "Maria, you're my best friend, you know I love you. And my friends like you, that is the only reason they are doing this. Don't be so suspicious of everything. Maybe you'll be happy for once."

It was late in the evening, and the restaurant was practically empty, except for a few people in one corner booth. "I'm gonna take off." Liz said getting up from where she had seated herself at the bar as she filled salt shakers.

"What?" Maria asked, suddenly feeling panicked.

"I have a date with Max, we close in an hour Maria, you will be fine, Michael is here till closing with you. You have nothing to worry about, you're doing great."

Maria bit her lip and watched as Liz hurried into the back to change, a moment later Max walked in and smiled at Maria. "Hey Maria."

"Hey. Liz is in the back."

"Great." He said and followed her. A few minutes later they rushed through the door laughing. "See ya Maria. See ya Michael!"

And then she found herself, trapped in the restaurant, alone with Michael. She glanced over and saw him watching her through the window, and blushed profusely.

It was late, and the restaurant was closed and cleaned up. "You ready to go?" Michael asked walking to the front of the diner, ripping off his apron.

"Um... you're not walking me home again Michael."

"No, I'm not. I'm actually giving you a ride since my mother is in town. I have the car. So lets go." He said walking to the door. He pushed it open and grabbed his eyes from his pocket. With a inward sigh Maria followed. They drove in silence to the trailer park and Maria was silently wishing she had changed back into her jeans before they'd left. He pulled the car to a stop and she lifted her head up, staring towards the trailer. Hank was home.

She never had worn a skirt in her life for fear of what Hank might decide to do. "Thanks." Maria whispered and climbed out of the car. She walked towards the trailer, and tugged a little at the hem of her skirt. Her jeans were in her locker at work. How could she have been so stupid? "Damn it." She hissed quietly and took a breath before opening the door. Hank was in the kitchen grabbing a beer.

"About damn time you got home." He turned around and his eyes narrowed her her legs. "Whorin' yourself out?"

Maria's jaw dropped. "What?!"

"You're a little whore. That's all you are." He slurred and Maria just shook her head and headed for her room. He caught her off guard and grabbed her wrist and shoved her back against the wall.

"I'll scream."

"Who cares?" Maria looked up at him, panic written across her face.

"Let me go." She whispered and tried to tug her wrist from his grasp.

"You've got a pretty nice body for a whore." He spat out and Maria let out a strangled sob.

"Let me go." She pleaded.

Hank looked at her, down at her bare thighs, then at his beer. In that moment. He was more interested in the beer. He released her and headed back to his recliner.

Maria gasped for breath as she ran down to her room and slammed the door shut and locked it. She was trembling and her stomach was doing flips. She thought she might throw up. She changed into her pajamas quickly and crawled into her bed. She yanked the blankets up over her head and cried herself to sleep.

Weeks passed and Maria continued working at the Crashdown, and for some reason becoming closer and closer to Alex's friends. So easily she had seemed to slip into the group. Isabel and Tess were always friendly towards her. Kyle joked with her. Michael still stared at her. She almost felt like she belonged. Part of her wondered if Alex had told them anything about her life, but they never seemed to be suspicious, or feel sorry for her, so she wasn't so sure he had said anything. It was almost as if they really liked her.

Alex was standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter when he heard his friends knock on the door. He walked through the living room and pulled open the door. "Hey." He said and grinned with Isabel hopped through the door and threw her arms around his shoulders.

"Hi." She mumbled through her kiss. When she pulled back she noticed Maria asleep on the couch. "Oh..." She frowned. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah... I dunno. She said she didn't sleep much last night, she just came in and curled up on the couch and went to sleep. "We could go down to the den... but the TV down there is a piece of shit."

"Michael, why don't you just take her upstairs?" Tess suggested. "Then she can come and join us when she wakes up." She said with a smile.

"Sure." Michael carefully scooped her up into his arms and carried her featherweight body up the stairs to the guest room. Using his powers he pushed the blankets down and laid her down. Careful not to wake her he pulled the blankets back up and tucked them around her. Only then, when she turned her head and snuggled into the warmth of the bed did he notice the massive bruise on the side of her face.

His brow furrowed and he reached towards her. Gently he cupped her cheek and stroked his thumb along the cut. His healing powers weren't that good, but he was sure he could heal something like this. Michael closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them the bruise was gone, but he didn't move his hand from her face.

"Hmm." She murmured in her sleep. "My Soldier." She whispered and reached up to touch his hand.

"My Queen." The words came from his mouth yet he didn't even know where they came from. Queen? He stroked her cheek and watched as she smiled in her sleep. "My Queen." He whispered again and leaned down to softly kiss her forehead.

After making sure she was tucked in he headed for the door, and after casting one last glance at her he closed the door quietly and jogged down the stairs. "So what are we watching?" He asked as everyone had started to get situated.

They all spoke at once. And all with a different title. "Star Wars." "American Pie." "The Notebook!" "Terminator." "Finding Neverland." "Casablanca."

"Great. We're doing this again?" Michael asked sitting down on the couch. Her looked around the room. Alex and Isabel were sitting together on the floor, his back was against the couch, and hers against his chest. Liz was comfortably seated in Max's lap in the recliner. Kyle was sitting in the other chair, and Tess was at the other end of the couch.

"Looks like you're the final choice Michael. Either pick one of our movies, and by that, I mean my movie, or pick a different one, and we end up not watching anything tonight, but stare at each other for hours." Tess said tucking her feet underneath her legs. She glanced down at Alex and Isabel, then over at Max and Liz. Neither couple seemed to care if a movie wasn't decided on.

"Sorry Tess. I hate that movie. American Pie it is!" Michael said pointing to the DVD player.

Kyle crowed with excitement that his movie was the pick. Tess scowled.

"Sorry Tessa, you know I never liked Johnny Depp." Michael reached over and lightly shoved her arm and she slapped his hand.

"You're a jerk." She huffed before smiling a little.

About an hour into the movie, Isabel had fallen asleep, and Michael had been tossing popcorn at her, trying to get it stuck in her hair, until Alex realized what he was doing and threw the popcorn back. The stairs creaked and Michael glanced up and saw a drowsy Maria walking down them. She paused for a moment in confusion and then just shook her head and headed for the kitchen.

Michael jumped up quickly and followed her. "Hey."

"Hi." She murmured filling the tea pot with water.

"Are you actually awake yet?" Michael chuckled when she turned on the wrong burner.

"No. I don't think so." Maria sighed and switched the pot to the other burner. She rubbed her hand over her face and then paused. The bruise. There had been a huge bruise. But her face didn't feel tender at all. And Michael wasn't commenting on it.

"You said something earlier." Michael said leaning against the counter, watching her.

"I did?" She grabbed a coffee cup and a tea bag and set them down beside the stove.

"Yeah. I took you upstairs so we could watch the movie. Alex didn't want to wake you up, said you were pretty beat." He paused, and she looked up at him. A nervous expression crossed over her face for a moment. "But you said something in your sleep."

"Really? What did I say? That I liked to be pestered when I am still half asleep?" She asked with the hint of a smirk on her lips.

Michael chuckled. "You said..." He moved closer to her, invading her personal bubble. She froze as he leaned towards her ear. "My Soldier."

Maria's knees almost gave out hearing him say that phrase. "I was dreaming." She told him and steadied herself against the counter.

"Pretty intense dream I would have to say." Michael moved away again and leaned back against the counter. "So... who is your soldier?"

She shook her head quickly. "No one... I don't know. It's just... this dream. I've been having it since I was a kid." Maria shrugged. "What do you care who my Soldier is?"

"I don't know. I was just wondering." Michael shrugged.

"It is just a silly dream Michael." Maria told him and the tea kettle whistled causing her to jump a little. She took a breath and dumped the water into her mug with the tea bag and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Come on, we're watching American Pie." Michael said and headed back for the living room. When the two arrived the seating arrangements had shifted Isabel and Alex had vanished, and Tess had moved to the floor near Kyle's chair. Michael sat down on the couch, and Maria sat down at the other end. She pulled her feet up onto the couch and slowly began to sip her tea.

The room was dark and Maria welcomed it. She liked the dark. She could think when it was dark. She felt safe in the dark. Her fight with Hank had been pretty intense. She had tried to fight back. But Maria couldn't use her powers. She didn't trust them. She was afraid. Alex was right. As they sat there, something touched her foot and she flinched slightly.

Maria glanced down and saw Michael's hand resting on her bare foot while his eyes were on the movie. She bit her lip a little, but didn't move her foot away. There was something comforting in the touch.

As the end credits were rolling Alex made his way back down the stairs, not accompanied by Isabel. "Hey, you guys know where the blankets are." He told them. Liz had fallen asleep on Max's chest, and Maria was struggling to keep her eyes open as she lay curled up on her side on the couch. Michael's hand now resting around her ankle. Tess was leaning against Kyle's chair, and Kyle was snoring softly.

"I should get home." Maria said struggling to sit up.

"No, Maria, and I mean it this time. It's part of movie night tradition. Everyone stays." Alex said and then turned and headed back up the stairs.

"Why don't you head back up to the guest room." Michael suggested.

"But..." She glanced at Max who was trying to shift his weight beneath Liz, and at Tess who was pulling some blankets out of the closet. "How is that fair?" Maria frowned.

"Fine, I'll take the bed." Michael smirked and Maria's jaw dropped.

"Jerk."

"There are two guest rooms, and the den, and the couch we're currently sitting on. You take one room, Liz and Max will probably take the other. Me and Tess will take the den, and Kyle..." Michael glanced over at the still sleeping man. "Will get to sleep on this lovely piece of furniture."

Maria nodded slowly. For some reason she felt a twinge of jealousy at the idea of Tess and Michael sharing a sleeping space. And where that jealousy was coming from she wasn't sure. "Okay." She nodded and headed up the stairs to the bedroom.

Jealousy. That wasn't really an emotion Maria was familiar with. She was jealous of people who had real families, and friends, but over the last few weeks, she had gained those friends she always wanted. She actually had real friends. She still wasn't quite used to that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

It was early the next morning when Maria heard laughing downstairs. She yawned and headed down the stairs. Her mind had been filled with dreams of her Soldier again. They were more intense this time. She really just didn't understand it. She walked into the kitchen and saw Alex standing over the stove. Isabel and Liz were laughing, and telling him he'd make a good cook at the Crashdown. Which Michael scowled at.

"Morning sleepy head!" Tess smiled brightly and jumped up from her seat at the table. She grabbed a mug and poured Maria a cup of coffee.

"Thanks..." She trailed off. "I swear you do crack or something." Maria shook her head, and everyone laughed.

"I'm not THAT perky." Tess huffed.

"Face it honey. You are always going a hundred miles an hour." Isabel smiled at her friend. "Oh, so Maria, that dance next Friday night, are you going?"

"Oh, no, I've got to work."

"Oh, that is too bad." Isabel frowned. "You should see if you can get out of it."

"I need the money." Maria just shrugged and sat down in one of the empty chairs. "Besides, I'm not a big 'dance' person."

"You going with anyone, Tess?" Liz asked.

"Michael is taking me."

"I am?" He looked up from his coffee mug, a look of confusion on his face. "When was that decided?"

"When no one asked me to go with them." Tess sighed and cast a glance towards Kyle. At least not the right person.

"And if I wasn't planning on going?"

"Too bad. You need to comfort your poor sad and depressed friend." Tess told him with an authoritative tone.

Tess was bored out of her mind. Michael wouldn't dance with her. His head had been someplace else all night, and he wouldn't really even talk. Isabel and Alex were off dancing, and so were Liz and Max. Kyle was here with some brunette bimbo. And Tess was stuck by herself. Suddenly they were shinning a light at someone in the front of the gym.

"Attention everyone. It is time to announce our Winter Formal King and Queen." The bubbly girl, their class president with short red hair said happily. "Drum roll please." She grinned. "And our King for tonight, is... Kyle Valenti!" The room erupted into cheers and Kyle made his way to the front of the room to stand beside her, where a plastic crown was placed on his head. "And as for his Queen, we have Tess Harding!"

Tess was in her own little world. She didn't hear her name until Isabel yelled at her. "What?" Then it occurred to her. She had won. Slowly she got up and headed for the front of the gym. She stared at the crowd that was cheering as the tiara was placed on her hair carefully.

"And now of course, it is time for our King and Queen dance." Kyle turned to Tess and grinned.

"Ready?" He asked and she nodded a little. Tess practically melted when he touched her. One of his hands rested on her waist while he grasped her hand with the other. He held her close and she could feel the warmth of his body radiating towards hers. She wanted more of it.

_You are my sweetest downfall  
I loved you first, I loved you first  
Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth  
I have to go, I have to go  
Your hair was long when we first met _

Tears stung her eyes as the song began. She knew that this would be their only moment like this together. Kyle would never notice her, not in the way that she wanted him to. She would have to just get over it. And in that moment she vowed that after tonight she would forget her silly obsession.

_You are my sweetest downfall  
I loved you first, I loved you first  
Beneath the stars came fallin' on our heads  
But they're just old light, they're just old light  
Your hair was long when we first met _

Kyle's hands pulled her closer and Tess let herself melt against his chest. He was so warm. And strong. It wouldn't last and she knew that. But this moment, was the moment she had wanted for so long. One of his hands was resting on her lower back while the other reached up to gently rub the back of her neck.

As the song came to an end Tess stepped back and looked up at him. "Um... Thanks for the dance." She told him before taking another step back and spinning around. She rushed along the side of the gym and out the side door into an empty hallway. The tears began to fall and she clenched her eyes shut as she struggled to control them. To control herself.

She felt someone grab her wrist and spin her around. "Kyle!" She yelped, and brought her other hand up to quickly wipe away the tears. "What are you-" She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence, as his mouth came crashing down on hers she gasped softly and then curled her arms around his shoulders.

When Kyle broke the kiss they were both gasping for breath. "Tess... I have been in love with you... for as long as I can remember, ever since the first time I met you and you hit me with the bat." He smiled and Tess gasped.

"Oh my god! You weren't supposed to remember that! It was an accident I swear!" The tears continued to roll down her cheeks unchecked and her jaw trembled. "Kyle..." She whispered and kissed him with all the pent up passion she had had for him.

Alex and Isabel had long since sneaked out from the dance. They were sitting in the middle of the field, Alex's jacket wrapped around Isabel's shoulders as they stared up at the stars. "Alex?" She murmured glancing up at him.

"Yeah?" Alex glanced down at her.

"Nothing." She whispered. "Nevermind. I love you."

"I love you too Iz..." Alex said suddenly a little concerned. "Everything okay Isabel?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. I guess I'm just highly emotional tonight, so don't take anything I may say or do too seriously."

"Isabel, you're really worrying me." He said pulling back to get a better look at her face, and realized she had been crying. "Isabel?"

"You're going to leave me." She whispered.

"What? What are you talking about Isabel? I'm not going to leave you, I love you."

"You will... you're going away in the fall, and you're going to become some famous computer guy, and I'll never see you again."

"Oh Iz." Alex chuckled and pulled her against his chest. "That's what you're so worried about? That isn't going to happen. You'll see me plenty, I'll call you all the time, and email you. I love you. I have every intention of making you an honest woman in the future. Just after college." He rubbed her ring finger. "I will put a ring on this finger someday. Don't you dare think I won't." He cupped her cheek and kissed her softly. "I love you."

"Hey." Michael said as he sat down at one of the stools at the bar.

"What are you doing here?" Maria asked a little confused. "I thought you and Tess were going to the dance together."

"We were. Till she ditched me for Valenti."

"Oh." Maria smiled a little.

"It was going to happen sooner or later, Valenti would realize that he had a great girl lusting after him."

"Yeah." Maria nodded a little. "Thirsty?" She asked stepping back from the counter and grabbing a glass.

"Blood of alien smoothie?" He asked and she glared at him.

"You're not funny."

"Really? Hmm." She noticed the amused glint in her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're an asshole." She laughed and watched as a smile turned up the corner of his lips. "And just for that, you're stuck with a cherry coke." Maria filled the glass and spun around and set it down in front of him. "So what are you doing here?" She asked leaning up against the counter.

"Figured it would be pretty dead around here, thought you could use some company." He told her taking a drink of his coke.

"Oh...thanks."

"Think you can sneak out of here early?"

"What?" Maria looked up quickly.

"Close early, Liz does it all the time. Come on, Jose would be thrilled to go home. It's so dead. Close the restaurant, you won't get into trouble. And come with me."

"With you? And just what do you plan to do when you've gotten me away from the Crashdown."

"Have my wicked way with you." Michael smirked, and then full out laughed when he saw the look on her face. "I was kidding. Come on, you know you want to."

"Not until you tell me what it is you really plan to do."

"We're going to have some fun. Because it looks like you could use it."

"Michael..." Maria chewed on her lip and glanced around the empty restaurant. "I..."

"Yes you can. Let's go." He grabbed her wrist and gave it a little tug. "Go change, I'll close up."

Still a little unsure Maria walked into the back room and changed back into her jeans and sweater. She grabbed her jacket and walked back up front. The lights were all turned off.

"Come on." Michael called from where he stood in the front doorway. She just looked at him for a moment. When had all of this happened? When had she become one of their friends? When did it become completely normal to go and hangout with one of them. A guy, that wasn't Alex.

"I'm coming." She called walking towards the light outside. Doing her best not to trip over any of the tables.

Maria sat beside him in the car, staring out the window, trying to figure out where they were going. But it was dark, and it was hard to tell with as fast as he was going. Michael pulled the car to a stop and Maria looked around. "Where are we?"

"Get out of the car, let's go." Michael got out and pocketed his keys. "Come on Maria."

Quickly Maria got out and hurried after him. "Will you tell me what we are doing?"

"We are..." He paused to jump over the short stone fence, then took Maria's hand and helped her climb over it. "Swinging."

"What?" Maria looked up and realized they were at Calhoun Park. "Swinging?" Michael pointed to the swing set about twenty feet away.

"Yup. Lets go." He didn't release her hand as they walked over to the swings. Maria sat down a little cautiously and pushed herself a little with her foot. "You call that swinging?" He moved behind her and grabbed the chain near the seat of the swing and pulled back a little, making her go a little higher.

"Michael!" She shrieked, then laughed. It took her a few moments but she got her rhythm going. And then she was completely absorbed in the act of swinging. It was dark and it was cold, but she didn't care. She was having fun, and she felt completely free. Nothing could touch her here. Nothing could hurt her.

Michael sat down on the swing next to her and just watched. He wasn't sure anyone had ever seen her like this. Carefree. After a few minutes she slowed down, her laughter calmed and she came to a stop and looked over at Michael, smiling. When she realized he was staring she blushed. "Thank you... for this." She gestured to the swings.

"Any time." He told her, and noticed she had begun to shiver. "Lets go get you warmed up." Unconsciously he reached out and grabbed a hold of her hand and walked with her back to the car. "Sorry, the heater is broken. But I was thinking hot chocolate?"

Maria's face lit up. "Yeah?"

"I think we may even have some of those little marshmallows." Michael started the car and headed towards his house. The lights were off when Michael pulled up. "My mom is out of town, some alien convention." He rolled his eyes. Together they walked inside the dark house.

Maria had her arms wrapped around herself, trying to warm herself up as they headed for the kitchen. The light over the stove was on and Michael went to work looking for the hot chocolate, and marshmallows. He glanced over at her and paused. "I'll be right back." He vanished and a few moments later came back with a sweatshirt in hand. "Put this on, you'll warm up faster." She nodded and quickly pulled it it over her head.

Michael chuckled softly. Her hair had gotten messed up when she pulled the sweatshirt on. He moved closer and smoothed it down a little. Then he realized their close proximity. He looked down and saw her staring up at him with wide eyes. He moved his hand down to gently cup her cheek and leaned forward slowly, inching closer and closer to her full lips.

The side door burst open and Michael and Maria jumped apart. "Jim!" Amy DeLuca laughed as Jim Valenti followed quickly after her. "Michael!" Amy gasped. "What are you doing home? You were supposed to be at the dance!"

"Mom. I thought you had a convention to go to?"

Suddenly she looked flustered. "Canceled last minute."

"Right." Michael shook his head a little.

"Maria." Jim nodded towards her.

"Sheriff." All four felt completely uncomfortable in that moment.

"Michael, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend? I thought you were at the dance with Tess."

"This is Maria. Tess bailed on me for Kyle." He paused and looked at the Sheriff for a moment before shaking his head again.

"It's so nice to meet you, Maria."

"Nice to meet you too." Maria glanced up at Michael.

"Come on Maria, I'll just give you a ride home."

"Okay." She nodded and followed him out of the kitchen.

"Drive safe honey!" Amy hollered.

"Well that was embarrassing." Michael muttered as they climbed into the car.

"Your mom, and Kyle's dad?"

"Sick isn't it?" Michael started the car and headed to the trailer park. "So, you and the Sheriff know each other?"

"He's the one that found me."

"Found you?" Michael glanced over at her.

"Yeah, wandering in the desert. Seven years old, naked and wandering around in the desert." Maria shrugged a little. "I guess they found a few other kids in the desert that month. Haven't you heard the stories? They thought maybe it was a cult thing... parents abandoning their kids in the desert. Well, I'm one of them."

Michael's eyes flashed to her and he nearly ran a stop sign. "Do you remember anything before Valenti found you?"

"I was cold... really cold. It was the middle of the summer, but it was so cold." Maria trailed off and looked out the window.

Michael came to a stop in front of the trailer park and reached over to gently grasp her hand. "Maria..."

"I've gotta go." She cut him off. "I'll give you your sweatshirt back tomorrow at work." She told him before climbing out of the car and jogging across the dirt road to the trailer. Hank wasn't home and for that she was thankful. She walked down to her room only bothering to kick off her shoes as she crawled into bed.

He continued to stare after her. They found her in the desert? He had heard they'd found another one, aside from him, Isabel and Max, but none of them were sure if it was anyone like them. Was Maria their fourth? Was Maria like them? He had to find out.

Maria hated taking out the trash. She loathed it. Going out behind the restaurant weirded her out, especially in the dark. But she welcomed the moments away from Michael. It had been two days since he nearly kissed her at his house. They hadn't spoken much at all. She wondered if he regretted trying? Or maybe he forgot, maybe it was just a momentary thing, and he didn't even remember doing it?

She threw the bag into the dumpster and turned around to head back inside when she came face to face with a man. "Oh god." She whispered. He was leering at her and she took a step back. She opened her mouth, to try and scream, but no sound came out.

"Money." He hissed at her and she shook her head.

"I don't have any."

"Wrong answer." Maria gasped softly and looked down and saw the knife sticking out of her stomach. She stared down at it and then looked back up at the man who turned and ran. She made her way to the back door and struggled to pull it open. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening.

She slid down to her knees and gripped the knife and pulled it out, crying out softly at the pain. He really hadn't managed to hit anything vital, and it was more towards her side. But it still hurt like hell. She dropped the knife and held her hand against it. Would she be able to heal it? Was it too serious for her? Her powers had been out of whack lately, would she be able to do anything about this?

Michael was in the kitchen when he heard the back door. Then he thought he heard Maria cry out. He walked towards the back room. "Maria?" He called and then spotted her sitting on the floor, hunched over. "Maria?" Michael asked cautiously as he walked towards her.

She felt like she had electricity running through her veins. She was shaking, and on the verge of tears. She heard Michael's voice and the tears overflowed. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. No one was supposed to find out. "I'm fine." She tried to tell him, but her voice cracked.

Michael noticed the blood and rushed to her side. "What happened?" He asked pressing his hand against her side to slow the bleeding.

"Some guy... I was taking out the trash... he just... stabbed me." She shook her head and tried to push his hand away. "I'm fine."

"You're bleeding, you're not fine. Let me see."

"No!" Maria pushed herself up to her feet and struggled to walk to the bathroom. She had to get away from him so she could try and heal this. But her knees gave out halfway there, and Michael caught her and set her on the couch.

"Maria. Stop." He said in a calm voice and pushed her hand out of the way again. He covered the wound with his hand. He needed Max for this. But maybe he could help. "Look at me." He said raising his head to look into her eyes. A second later a connection formed and he saw things, so many things he didn't understand. But after a second the connection was stronger. He felt Maria's hand rest on top of his. After several seconds they both gasped softly. Slowly Michael pulled his hand away and the cut was gone along with the blood. All that was left was a small hole in her uniform. "It worked." He whispered.

"You..." Maria whispered still staring at him.

"And you." He whispered. "You're the fourth."

"Fourth? Four?"

"Wait till they hear..." Michael smiled a little and Maria shook her head.

"No. No Michael, no one can know."

"You're like us Maria... Max and Iz... Four were found in the desert... I knew there was a fourth."

"No, Michael, please, don't tell them. Please."

"Why not Maria?" He asked.

"I can't... it's too much. Please, don't tell them. Please, promise me Michael. Promise you won't tell them."

Michael stared at her, confused. "Why?"

"Just promise me Michael, please?" Slowly he nodded.

"Okay." He touched her side gently. "Is it healed all the way?"

"It's a little tender. But it's okay." She stared at him and chewed on her lip. He was like her? She wasn't alone. There were more like her. And that terrified her. "Why didn't you say something, the other night, in the car, when I was talking about being found in the desert."

"You didn't give me the chance, you jumped out of the car before I could say a word."

"Oh... I thought..." She bit her lip.

"You thought what?"

"That you were going to try and... try and kiss me again." Maria blushed and looked down. Silly me. She thought.

"I thought about that too." Michael told her. He reached up and cupped her cheek.

"We can't do this." She whispered.

"Why not?" He leaned towards her.

"Michael! Where are you? I've got orders that need made." Liz burst through the swinging door. "What are you doing?"

"Maria cut herself on a cardboard box when she took out the trash. I was just putting a bandaid on for her." He stood up and headed back for the kitchen. "You girls aren't allowed to take out the trash anymore. Leave it, and I'll take it out. When Jose is here, make him do it too." Without another word he walked into the kitchen and started cooking.

"Maria? Are you okay?" Liz asked. "You look a little pale."

"I just don't like blood." Maria told her and then grabbed her apron and tied it back around her waist, making sure that the tie covered the tear in her uniform.

"Well I was going to go ahead and send you home anyways, go ahead and clock out, maybe get Michael to fix you something to eat."

"Sure." Maria said and grabbed her clothes out of her locker. She glanced over and saw Michael watching her from the kitchen.

"I'll fix you something to eat. Just go sit down out front."

"Okay." Maria murmured and headed for the bathroom to change into her street clothes. She got a glass of soda and walked up front and sat in one of the corner booths. It wasn't long before Michael appeared with a plate.

"Eat." He told her slipping into the booth across from her.

"Thanks." She murmured glancing at him.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked quietly.

"I'm fine." She nodded. "I'll be fine." She gave him a small smile and he nodded.

"Okay...Don't leave, okay? I want to talk to you."

"Sure." Maria told him and watched as he walked back into the kitchen.

It wasn't long before the restaurant was closed and Michael was heading up front. "Come on, lets go." He said to Maria who was still sitting in the same booth. Together they walked out of the diner and to Michael's car. They sat in silence as Michael drove. Neither saying a word. Both wondering what was going through the other's head. Michael pulled the car to a stop a short while later and Maria glanced around. She had no idea where they were. She looked over at him and bit her lip.

Michael turned slightly in his seat to face her and reached over and rubbed his fingers along the back of her hand. "Maria." He said softly.

"Michael... we can't."

"Why not?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it before opening it again. "Because... I don't know." She whispered. She felt like she had never felt before. Her heart was pounding in her chest. All she could focus on was the feel of his hand on hers. Was it because they were both alien? Is that why she felt like this? "Michael." She murmured softly and watched as he leaned towards her. One of his hands came up to gently cup her cheek and she let her eyes slip shut. Letting herself get completely lost in the moment.

"My Queen." His voice was a whisper against her lips. He heard her gasp and then covered her mouth with his own.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Maria dissolved into the kiss. She felt like everything was spinning rapidly around her. Michael made her dizzy. And it seemed like hours had passed when they broke apart. "How?" She whispered softly.

"How what?"

"You... called me..."

"My queen." He murmured and kissed her again. Maria moaned softly against his mouth but pulled back.

"My soldier..." She reached up and touched the side of his face. "You're my soldier." Maria whispered. "That night, at Alex's... you said I said 'My Soldier' Why didn't you say something before? My god Michael!" Maria wasn't sure how she felt. It was all too much. "How did you know?" She asked softly.

"I didn't... that night. I was tucking you into bed. You had a bruise on your cheek. Where did that bruise come from?"

"You healed that?" Maria looked at him. "I thought..." She shook her head. She'd thought maybe it was a dream, or that maybe she'd managed to heal herself in her sleep. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You said 'My Soldier.' I don't know where the words came from, but I called you My Queen."

"The dreams... you don't have the dreams?" Michael just shook his head and Maria clenched her eyes shut. Maybe she was alone. Maybe this was all a mistake. "You don't remember anything?" He shook his head again. They sat there in silence for several short moments. "Will you take me home. I'm not feeling well."

"Maria?"

"Please Michael." She asked again and stared out the window. With a quiet sigh Michael started the car and headed back into town. He pulled up in front of the trailer park and turned off the engine. "Thanks." She muttered and quickly opened the door.

"Maria! Wait."

"I'll see you tomorrow Michael." She said and slammed the door shut before he could say another word. She ran the whole way to the trailer. Hank was in the kitchen when she came through the door.

"Where have you been?"

"Fuck you!" Maria yelled at him and ran down to her room. She slammed the door and locked it. She pushed her dresser up against it, and sat down in the far corner of her room. She wasn't alone. All of the sudden, she wasn't alone. There were others like her. The tears began to fall. And they were her new friends. Michael. Maria reached up and touched her lips lightly. He kissed her, and it had felt... electric.

But he didn't remember their life before. He didn't remember her. Max... and Isabel. The King and his Sister. Slowly Maria curled up on her side and drifted off to sleep.

_ i Maria knew where she was. In an empty field with her love, her soldier. She was sprawled out on her back, staring up at the acid green clouds that floated across the orange sky. Her head was resting his his lap, and when she looked at the right angle she could see his sharp jaw, his shadow a contrast against the sky. "You're beautiful, my love." She murmured. _

_He glanced down at him and a smile spread across his features. "You are the beauty, my love." He told her and brushed a lock of hair from her face. "I am the beast." He told her._

"_You are no beast." She told him, then grinned wickedly. "Except in bed." She shrieked with laughter and jumped to her feet as quickly as she could._

"_Why you..." He growled and grabbed her waist. Together they fell to the ground laughing, his fingers tickling her sides while she tried to shove his hands away, and pull him closer at the same time._

_They calmed after a few moments and she stared up at him. "My Love, my love." She whispered. "Never leave me." _

"_Not even death can keep me from you." He told her, because they both knew, if anyone discovered their secret relationship. It meant certain death. "I love you, my queen, my Ava." _

"_Rath." She whispered. "My dear Rath." _ /i 

"Michael, what is your problem?" Isabel asked at lunch on Monday. Maria had been a no show, and Michael was in his own little world.

"I think he was abducted by aliens." Tess giggled and then snuggled herself closer to Kyle.

"You're such an idiot." Michael snapped and Tess flinched from his words.

"I was just kidding Michael..." Michael had always teased her, but he'd never been out and out mean.

"What the hell Michael?" Kyle snapped at his friend. "Why are you being such a dick."

"Maybe I'm sick of the same shit every single day." Michael got up from the bench and his friends just stared at him.

"What did you say to Maria?" Isabel asked. He'd noticed how the two had become closer, and now Maria wasn't here, and Michael was being an asshole. He simply glared at her. "What did you do!?" Isabel yelled.

"Fuck this." Michael shook his head and turned around and walked away.

Hours later Michael relented and went to work. He'd be in the kitchen, and if anyone bothered him, he would throw knives or something. Anything to get them to leave him the hell alone. He didn't know why he was being such and ass. He was angry. He was worried about Maria. What if when they healed her, they hadn't managed to get it all. She said she wasn't feeling well, was it just a cover to go home? Was she mad at him? Because he didn't remember?

He walked into the Crashdown and saw Liz running from table to table, frantic. "What's wrong Liz?" He asked shaking his head.

"Maria didn't come to work. I can't get a hold of any of the other girls. And we've been busy." Liz threw her hands in the air before jetting off to another table.

She didn't come to work? Now he was worried. All this just to avoid him? He turned around and walked back out of the restaurant, ignoring Liz yelling after him. He jogged to his car and drove to the trailer park. He took a breath and got out. Maybe... he wasn't sure. He just hoped she was okay. He walked up to the trailer and knocked on the door. A few moments later a man opened the door. "Is Maria home?" He asked trying to glance behind the man.

"I haven't seen her since she left for school this morning." The man grumbled and slammed the door.

Michael stood there for a moment longer. Something was off. He stepped back and headed back to his car. Halfway to his car there was a clap of thunder, and a bold of lightening that lit up the sky. And then it was raining. Pouring. He jogged the rest of the way to his car. He got in and just sat there, thinking about Maria. Wondering where she was, and if she was okay. He decided to just drive around and look for her. He wasn't sleeping till he knew she was safe.

After driving around for half an hour Michael was getting really worried when he finally spotted a figure, that for some reason, he knew was Maria. She was sitting on the swing at the park. He got out and walked over to her. "What are you doing Maria?" He asked. He was already soaked. He could see her shoulders were shaking, and her hair was matted down to her head. "Maria?" He cupped her face and she looked up at him. He wasn't sure if it was rain, or if she was crying. "Come on baby."

"No." She whispered. "I can't."

"You can't what? Come with me to dry off and get warm? Where the hell have you been all day? All I could think about was that stab wound... that it wasn't healed and you were laying somewhere dead."

"You were worried about me?"

"Of course I was Maria. You're my friend, aside from everything else, you are my friend." He cupped her face and shook his head. "Come on, let's go." He pulled her up from the swing and gathered her in his arms.

"My soldier." She whispered and let her eyes slip shut.

Michael drove them to his house, this time his mother really was out of town at a convention. He'd seen her off at the airport early that morning. He scooped Maria into his arms and carried her inside the house. He set her down once they got inside and pushed her hair back from her face. "How long were you out there?" She simply shrugged. "You could ..." But she wouldn't. She was like him. She wouldn't get sick. "I was worried."

"Rath." She whispered.

"What?"

"Rath." She said a little louder this time. "That was your name."

"Rath?" Michael asked and shook his head a little. "And yours?"

"Ava."

"My Ava." Michael said gently cupping her face.

"Michael." Maria whispered and leaned towards him. "I don't deserve you." She told him quietly. "I... you're only doing this because you found out I was like you... that I was one of you."

"No, Maria, I'm not. Do you remember I was going to kiss you? Before my mother came barreling into the room, I was leaning in to kiss you. Like this." He leaned towards her and kissed her gently.

"But..."

"No." Michael shook his head. "What happens, happens. You're like us, or your not, Maria, I like you. I want this." He said and kissed her again. "But only if you want this..." He tucked some hair away from her face and tried to get a look at her face.

"I love you so much in that life... and it scares me." Maria slowly reached up to touch his face. "It scares me to know I loved someone that much... and, Rath loved me back, just as much."

"I can't make you any promises Maria. I can't promise you to be Rath, because I don't remember him. I don't remember that life. Maybe you could help me remember though?" She nodded a little and then Michael nodded. "Good, let's get you warmed up, come on." He took her hand and lead her down the hallway to his room. He grabbed a pair of boxers and a t-shirt for her and a change of clothes for himself. "I'll go change in the bathroom." He kissed her cheek before leaving her alone in the room.

Maria watched him go and then carefully stripped out of her wet clothes. She pulled on his dry clothes and was thankful for their warmth. Slowly she began to look around his room. There were pictures, of him and Isabel and Max. A picture with his mom in front of her shop. So many little things from his life were around the room. Maria never had that. She didn't have any pictures of herself as a child, let alone with Hank.

"Maria?" She heard Michael knock on the door and walked over and pulled it open. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Maria murmured and walked with him down the hallway and into the kitchen.

"I'm sure my mom has tea around here somewhere." He said as he opened up one of the cabinets. After the tea was made they sat on the couch together, Maria leaned into his side a little as she clutched the mug in her hands.

Michael walked into his room and watched Maria for a few minutes, just sleeping, the blankets wrapped around her tightly, curled up into a ball. He walked over and gently shook her shoulder. "Maria? It's almost time to get ready for school."

Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she glanced up at him. "Lay with me? Just for a little while?" She asked before letting her eyes slip shut. He watched her for a moment longer before climbing into bed with her, carefully he laid behind her while she was still bundled up in the blankets he wrapped his arms around her. He heard Maria hum in the back of her throat and snuggle up closer to him before her breathing evened out again. Michael laid there for a while longer before letting his eyes slip shut and he followed her off to sleep.

It was late in the afternoon when they woke up again. Michael opened his eyes and saw Maria looking up at him. "Hey." He mumbled sleepily.

"Hi." Maria smiled a little. "Give me your hand." She said softly and held her hand out to him. After a second Michael lifted his hand up and placed it in hers. "Close your eyes."

"But I just opened them." He smiled a little.

"Just do it." He closed his eyes and Maria watched him for a moment longer. "Try to focus... and open up your mind."

"To what?"

"Remembering." Then he got serious and gave Maria's hand a little squeeze before he let himself focus completely. Maria watched him before letting her own eyes close.

They laid together, in silence for what seemed like hours, but may have only been minutes. Michael wasn't sure. He opened his eyes and found Maria's watching him. "I remembered something."

She smiled. "What?"

"You." Tears suddenly blurred Maria's vision. "Watching you. Touching you." He reached up and gently cupped her cheek. "I wasn't allowed to touch you when anyone was around." She shook her head a little. "But I wanted to touch you, constantly." He leaned down and kissed her softly and Maria curled her arms around him, and kissed him back.

They pulled back and Maria rested her head on his chest. "Why won't you let me tell them?" Michael asked as he combed his fingers through her short locks.

"You don't understand Michael... I've been alone, my entire life. Alex was the only friend I had... until Isabel and Tess turned me into their little project, and somehow I became part of your crowd. I'm still getting used to that. And then to have you, suddenly want me, to want to be with me. That is a whole other level of something I'm not used to. No one has ever looked at me, like you look at me." Michael gently kissed the top of her head. "And to find out that not only you, but Isabel and Max ... that we are the same. It's too much, too soon, so please, not yet. Just... give me time."

"Okay." Michael nodded and hugged her closer. "Anything you want." He told her softly.

Amy DeLuca walked into the house calling her son's name. "Michael? Honey, I'm home." But he didn't respond. She frowned, the car was in the driveway, but he wasn't home? She was pretty sure he didn't work tonight. She headed down the hallway and knocked on the door before pushing it open. "Michael... oh my god." She gasped seeing Michael laying in bed with a girl. She backed out of the room as quickly as she came in, slamming the door behind her. She hadn't gotten a look at anything, she didn't know if they were clothed or not, but it was not alright for her son to be in bed with a girl!

"Oh shit." Michael jumped up from the bed. Maria lay there completely mortified. They weren't doing anything, but still. Michael opened the door and saw his mother standing there, practically hyperventilating. "Mom... nothing happened, you can breathe again."

"You... were in bed with a girl."

"Yeah, mom, Maria. I repeat, nothing happened, we were just talking."

"Was there kissing?"

"Mom." Michael rolled his eyes.

"Oh my god." Amy muttered.

"Mom, would you just stop. Nothing happened, we didn't do anything. She was in my room all night, I was on the couch. I only went in to wake her up for school and..." He trailed off, he couldn't exactly tell her what they were doing. "Look, some guy attacked her the other night at the Crashdown, she's still a little spooked by it, her dad was out of town, and she didn't want to go home alone, so I told her to stay here, and we spent the day talking."

"She was attacked? Did you tell Jim?" Amy paused. "She was here all night?"

"Maria didn't get a good look at the guy. He just came up, wanted money, pushed her down, and that was it. Would you just let it go mom?"

Amy frowned and watched her son. "You two didn't go to school?" Michael shook his head. "Michael... you've done so well this year."

"Mom, one day is not going to throw off my entire senior year. She needed someone to talk to, and she wasn't comfortable talking to anyone else."

"Alright." Amy nodded."If you say so."

Michael nodded and headed back into his room. He looked at Maria curled up on the bed still, chewing on her lip. "Does she hate me now?" Maria asked and he shook his head.

"She freaked out, but it's okay now, come on, lets go to the Crashdown and get something to eat." Maria nodded and gathered her clothes that were dry now and headed down to the bathroom.

They left Michael's house and he drove them to the restaurant. When they got there, the usual gang was seated together in a booth. They all just looked at the couple as they came to sit down. Michael scratched his eyebrow. "I have something to say." A look of panic crossed Maria's features for a moment. "Tess, about yesterday, I'm sorry." He glanced around the table. "To everyone, I am sorry."

"And you didn't even choke on that." Isabel said, and then smiled. "Sit down, and order something Michael."

"Everything okay Maria?" Alex asked her quietly and she nodded.

"Fine."

"Why weren't you guys at school?" Kyle asked with a raised eyebrow.

"None of your business Valenti. By the way, your father, and my mother... it is disgusting, and it needs to stop."

"I found them on the couch the other night." Kyle shook his head.

"Well she missed a convention in favor of doing... god knows what with him."

"Come on you guys, it can't be that bad." Liz smiled as she joined the table. "You guys want anything?" She asked Michael and Maria.

"Cherry coke." They both answered. The entire table looked at them, and then went back to chatting. Maria sat down on the booth beside Alex, while Michael pulled up a chair at the end of the table. Michael slipped his hand under the table and gently grasped Maria's smaller one. She glanced at him and smiled a little and squeezed his hand back.

"And you have no idea Liz, they are worse than hormonal teenagers." Michael shook his head a little.

Maria looked down at her notebook, she had to go the library to do research on some stupid topic for her history class. She had a free period before lunch so she decided to make the best of it and get some work done. Or at least try to. She headed into the library and started looking through the books. She her laughter and glanced up and saw Courtney Banks sitting with some guy at a table. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Courtney by far was one of the richest students at Roswell high, and she flaunted it. Maria loathed her.

Then she heard the guy that Courtney was with laugh and it chilled her down to the bone. She looked over again and realized it was Michael. They were flirting? Maria ducked behind the shelf quickly and peered through the books. Blatant flirting. Courtney's hand was resting on Michael's and he wasn't pulling his away. Tears stung Maria's eyes and she shook her head. No... it couldn't be. Could it? She had thought, that her and Michael were... a couple? They had never made it anything official, even through the weeks they had sort of been together. Everything they did had been hidden, Maria never knew it was intentional. But no one knew about them.

He was ashamed of her. The realization hit Maria like Hank's fist. She gripped the shelf before hurrying out, doing her best to hide her face as she walked. Once out of the library Maria ran towards the bathroom and once inside she bent over the sink and slashed cold water on her face. The tears began to fall, practically burning hot streaks down her face. She kept splashing water on her face, as she tried to calm down. She knew she wasn't good enough for Michael. She never had been.

i _Ava sat beside her father, King of one of the five planets. Her hands were clasped together in her lap, her head was bowed. The future King of Antar was coming to meet with her. They had been betrothed and never had met before. _

"_I don't want to marry him father." _

"_You will do as you're told." He snarled. _

"_Please, father, I have never met him before, don't make me..." She trailed off. She had just reached the age in which she would be allowed to marry, and the wedding was planned to happen in just a few short weeks. _

"_You will marry him. And I will teach him how to keep you in line." Ava flinched as her father clenched his fist. "If only your sister had survived..." He shook his head. "She was worthy of marrying a future King." /i _

Maria avoided the rest of her classes for the rest of the day. She knew she had to work after school, but she was dreading it. "Hey Maria!" Isabel called waving at her, as she jogged towards her. "Where were you? You didn't come to lunch."

"I had work to do for history."

"Oh." Isabel frowned. "Well, you want to come hang out with us?"

"I can't." Maria shook her head. "Sorry." She turned and walked off quickly. Leaving Isabel standing there staring after her. She frowned. Something was off again.

At work Maria let herself get completely absorbed into it. She didn't even see the people she was waiting on. Just working, getting it done. She was thankful that Michael wasn't working tonight so she didn't have to deal with him. "Hey Maria, can you pick up table ten?" Liz called to her.

"Yeah." Maria headed over to the table and then froze. Her luck. Alex, and Isabel and Tess and Kyle. "Hey. What do you want to drink?" Her tone was short.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm just kind of busy." She told them and they glanced around the restaurant. There weren't many people in there, and she and Liz had split up the tables evenly. She took their orders and as she was walking past the door to the back room a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her into the back. She felt Michael's mouth come crashing down on hers and for a second she forgot herself and kissed him back. And then she remembered what she'd seen in the library. "I'm busy." She said tearing herself away from him. "You can't just pull me back here whenever you feel like it Michael. This is my job. You may not care about your own job, but I care about mine." She snapped and quickly walked back up front leaving him dumbfounded.

After work Maria stepped outside and wrapped her jacket tighter around herself as she headed for the trailer park. It was cold, but she didn't care, it was peaceful.

"Maria." She heard Michael's voice and shook her head.

"Would you just go away?" She rolled her eyes and didn't look at him.

"No. What the hell is your problem?" Michael caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "Look at me."

Maria wrenched her arm from his grasp and nearly hit him. "Don't touch me." She snarled.

"What did I do? Why are you so pissed off at me? And everyone else?! What did we do to you?!"

"Just get away from me Michael." She told him.

"Maria!" He yelled and grabbed her again.

"Get off me!" She screamed and he flinched back from her.

"Maria." His voice came out soft and concerned.

"Just leave me alone Michael." She said and started walking again quicker this time. She needed away from him. As far away from him as she could get.

Maria got home half an hour later, and she was frozen to the core. It had started to rain again, and she couldn't stop shivering. She hurried inside and saw Hank standing there. "Where've you been?" He slurred and she shook her head.

"Work. "

"Whorin' yerself out again?"

"Yes." She said sarcastically. Then shivered, but this time not from the cold, but from the look he gave her. Staring at her legs, then up her body. He advanced towards her and Maria backed up, her back hitting the door. "Get away from me, Hank." She said. He reached up and tried to pull her jacket off her shoulder. "I said get away from me."

Michael was pacing back and forth across the length of the Crashdown. Maria had been missing for a week now. No one had seen her.

"Alex, say something." Isabel whispered pushing on his shoulder a little. The entire gang was sitting in the empty diner. He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"Her foster father hit her." Alex spoke up finally cutting the silence of the restaurant.

"What?!" Michael spun around and faced Alex.

"What do you mean? When?" Kyle asked sitting up straighter in the booth.

"He has since his wife got arrested... he started hitting her. It was a pretty common thing."

"Why the hell didn't you say something?!" Michael exploded.

"You don't understand. She told me she would lie... that I couldn't prove it. She didn't want to end up in another foster home."

"Couldn't prove it? Didn't he ever leave bruises?" Kyle shook his head and Alex bowed his. He couldn't tell them that.

"So we go there, and we find her." Max finally spoke up.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Michael knocked on the door to the trailer angrily. But there was no answer. They stood there for several long, painful moments before Michael pushed open the door. Cautiously the four boys walked into the trailer, it was trashed. Furniture was upturned, and broken. A glass shattered on the kitchen floor. And then there was the blood.

"The one at the end of the hall is hers." Alex said and followed Michael as he headed down the hallway. Michael tried the door but it wouldn't open.

"Maria? Baby are you in there? It's Michael. Open the door baby." Nothing but silence came from the room. Michael took a step back and kicked the door as hard as he could. With Alex there he couldn't risk using his powers. The door flew open and he stepped inside. The smell of blood nearly made him throw up. Then he spotted her foot sticking out of the closet. "Oh shit." He whispered. Her shoe was only on part way, and he could see the blood on the floor. "Maria?!" He rushed to the closet and opened it the rest of the way and found her laying there, bruised and beaten and barely breathing.

"Oh god." Alex whispered. Guilt began eating away at his stomach. Why hadn't he said something? Why?! "Maria?" His voice cracked.

"Maria, baby open your eyes." Michael whispered carefully pulling her into his arms. "Look at me baby." One eye was open part way, the other was swollen shut. "Please baby." He whispered. "Alex, go start the car." The other man didn't move. "Alex now!" Suddenly Alex ran from the room. "Baby, look at me please."

Maria's mouth opened part way, she was trying to whisper something but he couldn't hear her. "It's okay, Maria, you're okay, you're safe now." He carefully picked her up and cradled her against his chest. He walked out of he room and down the hall, doing his best not to jostle her too much. In the living room Kyle and Max were still looking around the room, and Kyle was on his cell phone talking to his dad.

"Oh Jesus." Max whispered when he saw Maria. "Michael."

"We're taking her to the hospital." He simply said and walked out to the car and climbed into the back of the jeep with her still in his arms. "You're going to be okay." He murmured against her temple. "You'll be just fine my queen."

They arrived at the hospital and several nurses rushed to the young men and took Maria away from them. Michael and Alex were pacing the hallway hours later, they still hadn't heard anything.

"Alex, Michael." Sheriff Valenti said as he approached. "Tell me what happened."

"Hank... he beat the shit out of her. That's what happened." Michael snapped.

"Michael, watch that tone with me." The Sheriff told him. "Do either of you know how long the abuse has been going on?" Michael looked at Alex who bowed his head.

"About ten years." He whispered. "I wanted to tell... but she always said not to. It was never this bad." Alex could feel the bile rising in his stomach. "This is all my fault. I should have said something. I told her I was going to... and she just said she would deny it."

"Why would she do that?" Michael asked with concern.

"She was afraid of ending up with someone worse."

"I don't think it gets much worse than that right there!" Michael yelled pointing in the direction they had taken her.

"What did you want me to do Michael!? She said she'd deny it! How could I prove it!" Alex roared. He felt bad enough. He didn't need Michael's help.

"Alright boys, calm down both of you. Have you heard anything about her yet?" Both men shook their heads.

A few moments later a doctor appeared. "Well, we have stabilized her. She's not out of the woods. Her injuries are pretty severe. She nearly bled to death. Massive head trauma, we won't know if there is any permanent damage until she wakes up."

"Will she? Wake up I mean?" Alex asked.

"We're not sure yet." The doctor said solemnly. "She is in the ICU, so I can only let one of you in at a time to see her."

"Go." Michael said gesturing down the hall at Alex. "I'm going to go call Isabel and Tess."

"Oh... okay." Alex felt like he was in a daze. This was his fault. He followed the doctor down the hallway and into Maria's room. He gasped at what he saw. She was hooked up to all kinds of machines, tubes and wires everywhere. Where she wasn't bruised she was paler than he'd ever seen her. Bandaged, and a cast on her right wrist. "Oh god Maria." He whispered walking over to her side. Carefully he grasped her left hand. "Maria... why? Why didn't you just let me tell someone?" The tears finally overflowed. "I'm so sorry Maria. I'm so sorry." He cried resting his head against the bed. "I love you Maria, you can't do this... you have to wake up, and be okay."

Michael walked down the hallway and pulled out his cell phone and called Isabel. "Iz..."

"Michael? What's going on? Did you find Maria?"

"Get to the hospital."

"What? Why?! Michael?" Isabel's voice grew more and more panicked.

"Maria is in the ICU. And you need to get here before Alex has a complete meltdown. Get Tess, and get your asses here."

Max and Kyle came jogging down the hallway. "Hey, is she okay?"

"She's in the ICU."

"She'll be okay though, right?" Kyle asked. Michael just shrugged.

Hours later, everyones parents had convinced them to go home, except for Michael. Try as Amy might, he refused to leave Maria. Michael knew part of the reason Alex was willing to leave was because when he looked at Maria, he felt guilty. So did Michael. He had fought with her before this happened. He didn't notice the signs. The bruise on her cheek from nearly three months ago now made sense. The cuts. Her attitude. Everything made sense now. He held her left hand gently in his. "Wake up Maria, you have to. You've got to beat this." He told her softly.

"Michael, honey." Amy suddenly was standing in the doorway.

"Mom. I'm not going home." He told her tearing his eyes away from Maria to look at the older woman. She just smiled gently.

"I brought you a change of clothes. Your toothbrush, and something to eat." Amy cautiously walked into the room and set them down on the little counter by a sink. "Hospital food is terrible. And you'll need to eat something." Amy turned around and stared at the young girl laying in the bed. "Oh my." She whispered and covered her mouth. "Has anything been done about that monster that did this to her?"

"Valenti hasn't been able to find him."

"When she wakes up, what will happen to her?"

Michael shrugged. "She'll probably end up in another foster home."

Amy continued to stare at the girl. "She doesn't need that kind of stress, not after this. We'll see what happens, but if there is no other option, she can stay with us. You'll have to sleep on the couch. But... we'll just see alright?" Amy offered and walked over to kiss her son's cheek.

"Thanks, mom." Amy smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Anything for my son, and his friends." She ruffled his hair a little. "Try and get some rest, honey. You look exhausted."

"Sure." He nodded and watched his mother walk out of the room. He turned his attention back to Maria, whose fingers were twitching, as if trying to hold onto something, and her breathing had become a little more labored. Slowly he reached forward and gently squeezed her hand. The twitching calmed and her breathing evened out again.

_The Queen was in a hidden room. Where she had her secret rendezvous with her Soldier. She was waiting for him. It was the middle of the night. Her King had retired to bed, and she had told him she was going for a walk. She heard the door open and smiled as she let her eyes slip shut. He had come to her again. His hand touched her arm gently and she smiled. "My Soldier." She murmured softly._

_The hand gripped her arm and yanked her out of her seat, spinning her around. She gasped, coming face to face with the King. "Your Soldier? They all said you were seeing him... I chose not to believe it... to believe that you were my faithful bride." He slapped her across the face before producing a knife from the back of his pants._

"_No!" She cried. "No! I love him!" _

"_And did you ever love me?"_

_She paused for a moment. "Of course I did."_

"_You lie." He growled and thrust the knife forward. _

_The sound that escaped her lips was a partial gasp for breath, and cry of pain. Blood dripped from her mouth and she slowly reached out to touch him. Her soldier was supposed to come. Where was he? Had he already been killed? He yanked the knife from her belly and she tumbled to the ground. "Unfaithful whore." He spat. He watched as she bled. Dying. As was the child he'd mistakenly believed was his. But he had been betrayed. By the two people he trusted most. _

_She gripped her belly. "Shhh. Hide." She whispered softly. "You'll be safe." She murmured to her baby._

"_Ava." Rath's voice tore through the room. "Zan." He growled when realization hit him. Ava and his child were dying, at the hand of Zan. Rath was on Zan before he had a chance to react, or even realize that he'd come into the room. Anger of a man whose life had just been destroyed ran through his veins. Zan tumbled to the ground with a broken neck. _

_Rath fell to his knees beside Ava and pulled her into his arms. "My love..." He whispered pressing his own hand against her swollen belly._

"_My love." She murmured back, tearfully. _

_It wasn't long before guards came, the King's guards. They came for Rath and held a public execution for him. The king and his wife were buried in the palace cemetery, while the soldier's body was buried outside the gates._

Maria woke with a start, gasping for breath, screaming, and crying. Michael had dozed off moments before, but suddenly he was wide awake and gently gripping her shoulders. "Maria, Maria it's okay, you're okay. You're safe. Open your eyes, look at me." He tried to comfort her.

Slowly she began to calm down, her fingers were digging into his arm, keeping him close. "Where... where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. Hank nearly killed you." Michael gently touched the bandage on her head.

Reality was beginning to come back to her and she looked down and saw the cast on her right hand. "Broken?" She asked and Michael nodded.

"You almost died Maria. There ... the amount of blood... a week, you spent laying in that closet, slowly bleeding to death."

"A week?" Her voice cracked.

"What happened?" Maria shook her head.

"I can't... I..." Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "I don't remember... I don't even know why. He always hit me... never a reason, but never like that."

"You're safe now, you're not going back there." Maria's shoulders began to tremble. "Maria, baby, you never have to worry about him again."

"That was the only home I had." She sobbed softly. "The only home I had, the closest thing I had to a father... and he almost killed me... he... hit me all the time."

Michael sat on the edge of the bed and gently pulled her into his arms. "You never deserved that. You have friends, and they love you, all of us will help you in any way you need. A place to stay, we'll help out. Sheriff Valenti said something about helping you get emancipated. You'll be able to get your own place, and you'll have a home."

"He should have left me in the desert." Maria whispered.

"What?"

"Sheriff Valenti. He should have just left me there. Four years old... fucked up from the start. He never should have picked me up."

"Stop talking like that Maria.' Michael said and she looked up at him and then shook her head and pulled away from him.

"Get away from me." Maria told him.

"Maria?" Michael reached for her again and she slapped his hands away.

"Leave me alone. Get out. Just... leave. I don't want you here."

"Maria." Michael didn't understand. He watched as she grabbed for the nurse call button and pressed her thumb down on it. Seconds later a nurse walked in and smiled at Maria.

"You're awake."

"Get him out of here." The nurse looked confused. She looked between the two and then nodded.

"I am sorry sir, but you'll have to come with me."

"No." Michael growled.

"Get out!" Maria yelled.

Jim Valenti appeared in the doorway a moment later. "Michael, come on." Finally Michael shook his head and left the room, and the nurse quickly checked Maria out before doing the same. Jim walked over to Maria's bed where she had curled up on her side. "I'm sorry." He told her softly and she lifted her head up to look at him.

"Why?"

"It is my fault you're with him." Jim reached out and gently stroked her hair.

"What do you mean?" Maria asked.

"I was the one that found you out in the desert.. Michelle and I were going to adopt you, we'd been talking about it for weeks before you ended up with Hank. Then she left. And I sort of forgot about everything else."

"You were going to adopt me?" Maria's voice cracked as she tried to imagine how different her life would have been had Sheriff Valenti been the one to take her in, rather than Hank.

"And I'm sorry for not. You're moving in with Kyle and me. No more foster homes. You're staying with us." Slowly Maria raised her left hand and found Jim's and squeezed it gently.

"Thank you." Jim nodded slightly.

"Why don't you want Michael in here?" Tears filled her eyes and she looked away. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No... not physically anyways. I just... don't want him around."

"Alright." Jim nodded. "Do you remember what happened? Why Hank did this?"

She shook her head. "No... I... walked home from work. After an argument with Michael, and Hank was there... but... I don't remember what happened."

"Get some rest." She nodded a little and her eyes already started to slip shut instantly. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head gently and made sure the blankets were tucked in around her before exiting the room. He found all of her friends sitting in the waiting room anxiously awaiting news. "Kyle, you're going to need to clean your room."

Kyle frowned and shook his head. "What?"

"Maria is staying with us after she gets out of here."

"How is she?" Alex asked.

"She seems to be doing alright. She doesn't remember what happened with Hank. I'm going to put out an APB on him, and see that he never sees daylight again."

"Can we see her?" Isabel asked softly.

"I told her to get some rest, so I would wait a little while."

It was late the next evening when Maria's friends couldn't wait any longer to see her. She was sitting there, tapping her fingers against her cast, wishing she could heal it, when Alex walked in the door. "Hey sweetie." He said walking over to her.

"Alex..."

"Look, I'm sorry. I just want to say that. I should have told someone, regardless of what you said."

"I wouldn't have admitted it, Alex. You know I wouldn't have. It wouldn't have done any good." Alex sighed softly and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You are my best friend Alex, and I love you, you know that right?" She asked softly and he nodded.

"I know." He said and tucked some hair behind her ear. "I love you too, Maria. And you'll be fine now."

They each took their turns coming in. Isabel chattered on about school assignments, and cheerleading. Tess talked about how much she had missed joking around about other girls with Maria. Liz talked about work, and reassured her that when she was ready to come back she was more than welcome, while Max sat in silence. Kyle told Maria that he'd set up the room for her, and it was all okay as long as she didn't leave her girlie stuff all over the house. Which Maria had laughed softly at and reassured him that he had nothing to worry about.

"What is he doing here?" Maria asked seeing Michael through the window, lurking in the hallway.

"He's worried about you." Kyle told her.

"I don't want him around."

"What did he do Maria?" Kyle asked her, and watched as her jaw trembled and she shook her head.

"He just needs to leave."

"Okay, okay, I"ll get him out of here." Kyle squeezed her hand gently. "Doctors say you'll be out tomorrow morning. If dad is busy with work, I'll come and pick you up alright?" Maria nodded a little and curled up on her side on the bed. Kyle watched her for a moment before walking into the hallway. "Come on Guerin, let's go for a walk." Once outside Kyle asked the question everyone wanted to know. "What did you do to her?"

"I don't know, man. Honestly. Things were fine, then she just started freaking out, yelling at me. Wouldn't let me touch her..." Michael bowed his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "That night ... before she went home. I grabbed her. I just wanted to know what was wrong, and I grabbed her arms."

"Nice going, she is living in an abusive household, and you grab her."

"I didn't know Kyle, and you know that, so don't be a dick. She was mad at me before I did that, so I don't know what I did." Michael shook his head. "You know I would never hurt her."

"Apparently you did... but she won't say what you did."

The next day Jim took Maria home and helped her get settled in. He showed her were everything was, and told her to get plenty of rest. "I've got to head back off to work. I told Kyle to come straight home from school. So you'll only be alone for a few hours. You going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine." Maria nodded as she looked around the house. It was warm, and it was inviting. It felt like it could be home.

"We'll find Hank, Maria. He will pay for what he did to you." She nodded, a little forced. Jim came forward and pressed his lips softly against the top of her head. "Take it easy alright? Call if you need anything." Jim turned around and headed for the door, leaving Maria standing in the middle of the room.

"Jim?" Her voice came out unsure. He turned and looked at her.

"Yeah Maria?"

"Thank you. For... everything." He gave her a half smile and nodded before leaving the room.

Maria watched him go and then slowly began to walk around the house. Looking at things, touching things. It was a home. There were pictures. Some of Kyle as a kid, and as he aged, some with Jim, some without. She picked up a picture of the two of them, Kyle had to be about eight years old in it. She touched a blank space between them and watched as a picture of herself developed into the picture. About six years old, with a big smile on her face.

She smiled a little and clutched the frame to her chest as she continued through the house. She walked into the kitchen and smiled at the curtains hanging from the window. She could have grown up here. She wished she had. Maria turned around and screamed when she saw Hank standing before her. "No!" She screamed and opened her eyes. Hank wasn't there. The frame was laying on the ground broken, the glass shattered.

Maria sighed and knelt down on the floor. She held her hand over the frame and it slowly began to reform itself. The glass pieces melded back together. The frame back to its original shape. And her picture disappeared from the original. She put the frame back on the shelf and walked down to Kyle's bedroom, that was now her bedroom and crawled beneath the sheets.

After school Kyle headed back to the house and knocked softly on the bedroom door. "Yeah?" He heard a voice from inside. He pushed open the door and smiled a little.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." Maria nodded.

"Good... you want some company?" Kyle asked and Maria laughed softly.

"You don't need to babysit me Kyle, I'll be fine."

"I'm not here to babysit. I am here because you are my friend, and I'm worried about you." Kyle walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm okay. Really."

"Then is it okay if everyone comes over? Watches a movie? You could come join us?"

"Not Michael." Maria shook her head as she sat up.

"What did he do Maria? Why are you so mad at him?"

She opened her mouth, and then closed it and shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it." Kyle sighed.

"Maria, he doesn't even know what he did. Maybe if you talk about it, we can help?"

"It isn't anything important, it's stupid, but I don't want to be around him, ever again."

"Okay, Maria, whatever you want." Kyle sighed and stood up. "You want to come and watch a movie?"

"No, thanks." She said laying back down and curling up on her side.

A few days had passed and Maria still wasn't ready to go back to school. She wasn't ready to face it. Besides, she hadn't completely healed. Her wrist would be in a cast for three more weeks. And every one knew, so she couldn't just heal anything. She was laying on her side, a CD hovering over her left hand as it played. Pretty much everyone had taken up residence at the Valenti's and spent most of their time there, hovering over Maria. Part of her wanted to tell them to just leave, but part of her was thankful for it.

"Hey Maria, I brought you your notes, and assignments." Isabel said as she walked into the room. Isabel froze at what she saw. A CD, hovering over Maria's hand, suddenly felt into her palm. Maria looked over at her, panic written on her face. "Sorry... didn't mean to... barge..."

"Thanks..." Maria trailed off and sat up and held her hand out to Isabel to take the papers.

"You..." Maria quickly looked down at the CD in her lap. She reached down and held it on the palm of her hand. A moment later the CD was hovering over her palm again, Music began pouring from the CD. "You're..." Isabel opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"I'm the fourth." She whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Michael found out... a while ago."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Isabel closed the door quickly and rushed to the bed and sat down beside Maria.

"I wasn't ready for you guys to find out... "

"This is... amazing Maria." What are your powers?"

"I can... make people see things that aren't there... or not see things that are... I can heal a little..."

"That's why you told Alex you would deny it isn't it? That he couldn't prove it, because you wouldn't have any bruises." Maria nodded slowly.

"He knows about me, Alex does. Since we were little. One of the times he found me, and my powers were freaking out, and, Alex saw it... I had to explain it to him."

"Alex knows?"

"Only about me." Isabel seemed to be in shock. A human, knowing about one of them.

"How would he react if he found out that.. that I was like you?" She asked cautiously.

"He loves you Isabel. He would love you no matter what. Just sit him down and talk to him." Isabel smiled a little and squeezed Maria's good hand.

Isabel was nervously chewing on her lip as she waited for Alex to get to her house. He came around the side and was taping on her window a second later and she jumped up to her feet. "Alex!" She yanked open the window and let him in.

"What is it Isabel? You sounded really weird on the phone." And she was acting even weirder in person.

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay..."

"You may want to sit down." Alex sat down on her bed never taking his eyes off her.

"What is it?" Alex had never seen her like this, and he was really worried.

"You love me right?" She asked.

"Of course."

"You'll never leave me?"

"What is it Isabel? Please just tell me, you're really worrying me." Alex had these terrible scenarios running through his mind. She cheated on him. She was pregnant.

Isabel reached out and rested her hand against the curtains hanging over her window. After a second they went from white lace to a dark red silk, and then back again. She looked at Alex who was staring at her open mouthed. "I'm like Maria. We're... the same. And you still care about her, even after you found out what she was, so... you have to still care about me, right?" She had never felt so vulnerable in her entire life.

"You're like Maria." He said still staring, and she nodded slowly. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd be scared of me. That you would think I was just some freak." Alex closed the distance between them and kissed her softly.

"You're not a freak, no matter what, and I love you Isabel. This doesn't change that." He wrapped his arms around her tightly and Isabel clutched to him, as relief coursed through her body.

Maria sat on the couch at the Evans' house. Isabel was sitting at the other end of the couch and Max was standing behind the chair. "You're like us." Maria nodded.

"Isabel walked in and found me playing a CD... without a CD player."

"And you said Michael knew? How did he find out?"

"It's been a while ago... I was taking out the trash at the Crashdown, and some guy came out of the shadows and demanded money. When I told him I had none... he stabbed me."

"What?!" Isabel asked in alarm.

"I went back inside, and Michael heard me. He..." Maria paused finally the realization of what Michael had done dawned on her. He risked exposing himself for her. "I was trying to heal it, and he put his hand on mine, and we healed it together."

"So you can heal?"

"Nothing big... just little things... but with Michael's help we managed to heal it. It wasn't that deep or anything, and it was still a little sore for a few days, like a really deep bruise, but... yeah, I guess so."

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Max asked and Maria shook her head a little.

"I wasn't ready for people to find out." She shrugged a little. "Do you guys... have the dreams?"

"Dreams?" Isabel asked. "I can go into people's dreams."

"No, I mean... dreams about our past?" They both shook their heads.

"You do?"

"Yeah... I remember everything."

"Really? Tell us!" Isabel got suddenly excited.

"Max... was the King, and Isabel, you were a princess." Maria paused for a moment. "You were brother and sister on Antar too."

"Antar?"

"It's the name of our planet..." Before Maria could go on the front door opened.

"Hi kids." Diane Evans smiled as she walked into the living room.

Maria was busy changing out of her uniform she was in her own little world. So much had been changing lately. She was living with the Valenti's she had something really close to a family. They sat down together for dinner. They didn't hurt her. They protected her. Kyle had easily slipped into the big brother act with her, and she loved it. She'd always had it from Alex, but it was different, because she actually lived with them. She still hadn't spoken to Michael for weeks. Isabel and Max knew her secret now, but neither had the dreams like she did. It didn't make any sense to her.

She finished yanking her T-shirt on and gasped when she saw Max standing there. "Oh, you scared me." She shook her head a little and grabbed her sweater and pulled it on.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" She asked looking at him. Something felt off, but she wasn't sure what it was. He moved closer to her and she took a small step back, and bumped into the lockers.

"Michael said you'd helped him remember. From... before."

"Some things, he remembered." Maria nodded a little.

Max reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist gently. "I want to remember."

"It's all about focus Max... you just have to concentrate."

"You were mine." He growled suddenly and Maria looked at him in alarm.

"What?"

"Ava. My wife... That is how it is supposed to be."

Maria laughed nervously. "Max, we're on earth, things are different now, you're with Liz, you love Liz."

"You belong with me." His grip tightened around her wrist and she stared up at him.

"Max, let me go."

"Maria!" Isabel yelled as she walked through the swinging door. Max dropped her wrist but she didn't tear her eyes away from his face. "Come here, I need your help with something please?" Isabel smiled cheerily and headed back up front.

Maria looked at Max, and then quickly moved away from him. "I'm not yours, Max."

"Oh, so you're his." He hissed.

"I'm no ones." Maria said before pushing through the door.

"Surprise!" Maria gasped as she stared at her friends. A pile of gifts was set up on a table, there was a large cake on another, with drinks set up. Everyone was standing there smiling brightly, except Michael who had taken up residence in an empty booth and was just watching her.

"You guys... How...?"

"How do you think?" Alex laughed and hugged Maria. "Happy birthday, baby girl." He kissed her forehead and gave her another squeeze.

"How does it feel? Seventeen?" Isabel smiled and hugged the smaller girl.

"Open presents!" Tess laughed and grabbed a brightly colored bag and thrust it towards Maria.

Maria was completely dumbfounded. She'd never had a birthday before. Alex had always bought her something for her birthday, but a cake, a party? Presents? Tears stung her eyes. "You guys... Thank you so much." She whispered looking down at the gift in her hand. "You have no idea... how much this means to me."

Kyle came up and gave her a tight hug. "Hey, none of that... we are your family, your friends, you think we would skip it?"

Maria smiled at them and sniffled quietly. "Thank you." She said again before digging into the bag. Inside she found an expensive blouse. Her jaw dropped. "Tess... wow... this is..."

"I hope it fits! When Kyle and I went to Albuquerque last weekend, I saw it and thought of you, and I just really hope it fits, if not... girl trip." Tess smiled and took a drink.

She made her way through the presents, CDs and some more clothes, and some jewelry and beads to hang in the doorway to her room. The final present was in a small box. "Who is this from?" She asked and everyone shrugged. She lifted the lid and gasped at what she saw. A small gold necklace with her name written in a script. "Oh my god..." She stared at it. "This is... beautiful." She whispered quietly as she looked at it.

"What is it?" Isabel asked trying to get a look. "Oh, wow." She gasped out.

Maria looked up and saw Michael staring at her from across the diner. In that instant she knew who gave it to her. It wasn't much later, after Maria blew out the candles, that they started up the music, and the girls were having a great time dancing around the diner. Maria walked over to the booth where Michael was sitting and tossed the box on the table. "Take it back." He blinked at her. "I don't want it. I don't... want anything from you." She told him in a hushed voice. "I just want you out of my life." Tears stung her eyes and she quickly made her escape to the bathroom.

She was hunched over dabbing at her eyes with some tissue when she heard the door. She spun around and saw Michael coming in. "Get out." She yelled in a hushed voice.

"No, not until you tell me what it is I did that got you so pissed off at me? What did I do Maria? Why are you mad at me? Why do you suddenly hate me?!"

"You want to know? You really want to know?" She yelled and jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Fine... Courtney. That stupid slut! I get it Michael, I got it when I saw you with her in the library. She's rich, and pretty, and... I'm neither. I'm that okay looking girl from the wrong side of town, with the abusive father. Dating her would ruin your image. I get that. So you stay with me in private, hide all our kisses, the hand holding, hang out when no one is around. But in public... you flirt with her, you joke with her... you touch her! But it doesn't work like that Michael. You don't get both of us, so I'm making this easy! You get her. Date someone that is actually worthy of being with you, that is good enough to be with you. Because I'm not." She shoved past him and stormed out the door. Michael went to follow her but she had already made her way over to Alex and was talking to him quietly.

Maria was at work, they weren't that busy, but there were a few tables, including two men that had been arguing since they walked in the door. She was currently busying herself with refilling the sugars, trying to ignore the looks she was getting from Michael in the kitchen. The bell over the door went off and she glanced up and saw Max walking in with Isabel and Alex. Ever since her birthday Max had sort of weirded Maria out. She watched as Alex whispered something in Isabel's ear, which she laughed at and they both turned and quickly left the diner again.

"Hey Maria, I was thinking, girls night this Friday? You, Isabel, Tess and me, a few chick flicks, lots of ice cream?" Liz smiled.

"That sounds great." Maria nodded. She liked having friends, and a family. She was actually happy. She stood up and picked up the tray that had the sugar dispensers on them and started carrying them around to set them back on the empty tables. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and saw the two men who had been arguing knock everything off their table. She rolled her eyes and started to set the tray down when one of them pulled out a gun. "Liz!" She screamed.

The sound of the gun exploded in her ears and she stood frozen for a moment as the two men suddenly ran from the diner. Maria turned and watched Liz falling backwards. "Liz?" She asked and ran to her side where she fell to her knees. Blood was pouring from the wound in her stomach. "Liz?" Her voice cracked and she pressed her hands tightly against the wound. There was no way she could heal this. She didn't have the strength for it. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she watched Liz's eyes glaze over before slipping shut a moment later. "No, no, Liz, wake up! Open your eyes Liz!"

A moment later there were sirens blaring as they came closer to the diner. Maria hadn't moved, her hands still pressed against the hole in her friends abdomen. "Maria." She lifted her head up and saw Michael standing there, staring down at her.

"She's dead Michael." She whispered.

Sheriff Valenti burst through the front door and forced his way through the crowd of people. He felt an immense relief when he saw Maria was unharmed. "Maria." He said and she turned to look at him. He knelt down and felt for a pulse, but it was obvious that the petite brunette was dead. "Come on." He said carefully taking Maria's arm and pulling her to her feet. "Come sit down." He sat her down in an empty booth and knelt in front of her. "Look at me." Slowly she lifted her head to look at him. "Are you okay?"

"She's dead."

"I'm sorry, Maria." He told her.

Maria was still sitting there two hours later, they had come and taken Liz's body, and they were questioning everyone in the diner. Michael had sat down across from her in the booth, and watched over her, and she didn't bother to tell him to go away, or to yell at him. She just sat there in silence.

Michael stood up after a while. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up." He said when he realized she was still covered in blood. Her hands and the front of her uniform. Without fighting him she let him lead her into the back room, where he got a wet washcloth and began to wipe up the blood.

She just watched him as he worked. Before long the blood was off her hands, but her uniform was still stained. She watched as Michael walked to her locker and grabbed her clothes and walked back. "Why don't you change." He said handing them to her, but she still didn't move.

"Why didn't Max heal her?" Maria asked softly.

"What?" Michael asked looking at her again.

"He didn't heal her." Tears began to roll down Maria's cheeks once again. "Why not? She's dead Michael." She began to sob softly and Michael went to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she didn't fight him she just held onto him as tightly as she could while she cried.

"Maria, baby, he couldn't have, there were too many people. They were all watching, they would have all found out." Michael tried to tell her. Even though as he said it, he knew, had it been Maria, he would have been at her side in a heart beat. As Michael thought about it, he realize Max had simply watched. Stood on the other side of the counter and watched his girlfriend bleed to death in the arms of her friend.

After a while, Michael pulled back a little and looked at her. "Why don't you go and change?" He offered again and she looked at the clothes forgotten in her lap and then nodded. She stood up and headed for the bathroom and changed out of her bloody uniform and back into her regular clothes. When she walked back into the break room Michael was standing there, and so was Kyle.

"Dad wanted me to make sure you got home okay." Kyle told her and Maria shook her head.

"I don't want to go home right now."

"Don't worry about it Valenti, I've got it." Michael told him.

"No, you don't, Michael." Maria shook her head at him. "I want to just be alone right now."

"That's probably not a good idea." Kyle told her.

"Why? Why am I not allowed to be alone? I just watched my friend die! I want to be alone!" Maria yelled at them and then sprang to her feet and rushed out the back door. Once she was outside she fell to her knees and started to cry. She hurt everywhere. Why was all of this stuff happening to her? All of these bad things. Spending Thirteen years with Hank. Being the outlet of his anger for ten. The guy she had loved didn't want to be with her, but rather the rich pretty girls. And now, one of her friends, and she only had a few was dead.

She didn't move for a long time. Just rested on her knees as she tried to calm herself down. Finally she pushed herself up to her feet and began to walk away from the diner. She never wanted to go there again. Ever. She didn't want to go home. And she didn't want to deal with any of her friends. She walked until she found herself at the trailer park, her old home. The trailer was still there. Sheriff Valenti still hadn't found Hank, and Maria wondered what had happened to him. Had she done something to Hank? Or was that just wishful thinking? She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

It was completely torn apart, and there was blood everywhere. Her blood. The realization made her sick to her stomach and she ran for the bathroom and lost her lunch. She walked back down the hallway and stared at the living room, willing herself to remember what happened.

Maria stared at Hank as he tried to push her jacket off her shoulder. She slapped his hand away and he grabbed her thigh. "Get off me Hank!" She yelled and hit him as hard as she could. He laughed and slapped her across the face. She stumbled to her side, knocking over the small table by the door. She looked up at Hank and saw the anger in his eyes. "Hank, stop." She cried softly.

"Stupid bitch." He growled and grabbed her arm and yanked her back to her feet. He shoved her as hard as he could and the side of her head clipped the edge of the coffee table. She cried out loudly and grabbed for her head when she felt the warm blood trickling down the side of her face.

"Stop it Hank!" She screamed. But he didn't. He hit her again, and again. He pulled her to her feet again and dragged her to the kitchen. "Hank! Get off me!" She screamed as she tried to fight back. But she felt so dizzy, she didn't have any energy to fight him. Maria grabbed onto the edge of the kitchen sink, trying to hold herself up. She glanced at him and through the blood in her eyes she saw him pulling a knife out of the drawer. "No." she whispered.

A second later all the furniture in the trailer was hovering a few feet off the floor. "What the hell?!" Hank roared in confusion looking around the room. Then he looked back at Maria. "You freak!" He yelled and advanced on her again. The knife nicked her side and she cried out in pain.

"Fuck you Hank." She ground out and slipped off the counter. Her wrist slammed into the ground and she groaned in pain. Everything that had been hovering began moving, slowly, around the room. The kitchen table bumped Hank into the refrigerator before he tried to escape.

He made it halfway across the room when the recliner he always sat in slammed him to the ground. Then the coffee table fell on top of him. Maria watched and tried to pull herself to her feet. She made her way to stand in the entry way to the kitchen and watched as Hank fought to get back to his feet. He glared at her.

"Nothing but a freak." He muttered looking for his gun.

"I hate you." She whispered and held her hand up. All the pent up rage, and fear and pain exploded in that instant. Hank flew in one direction across the living room while she flew the other, her back slammed into the cabinet in the kitchen and she fell to her knees on the floor. She saw Hank laying on the floor haphazardly across the room before she blacked out.

Maria gasped softly and looked around the room. But how did she end up in the closet like they said? And where was Hank? Quickly Maria left the trailer, suddenly feeling afraid of herself. She didn't know that she could do that. She was still feeling a little weird when she arrived back home, at the Valenti's she walked inside and Jim was sitting at the kitchen table, apparently waiting for her.

"We need to get you a cell phone. I've been worried sick."

"I just needed some air." She told him, suddenly feeling guilty. No one had cared before.

"We found Hank." Maria opened her mouth, and then snapped it shut again.

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"He in jail?" Maria asked walking over to sit across from Jim at the table. He shook his head and she wrapped her arms around herself. "Why not?" Her voice cracked.

"He's dead, Maria." She just stared at him.

"What?"

"We found his body out in Frasier woods. There wasn't much left of him."

"Oh god." Maria whispered. Had she done that? And she just didn't remember yet? Had she killed him? She buried her face in her hands and bit back the tears that threatened to surface. She didn't want to be a murderer.

"Hey, hey." Jim stood up and gently pulled her into his arms. "This is okay, no one thinks you did it. That bastard deserved even worse than what he got."

Maria wrapped her arms around him and just clutched him tightly. Hank being dead was just one more thing added on to it all. She couldn't deal with this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Over the next few days Maria tried to keep to herself. They had all heard about Hank, and everyone at school stared at her. Max kept staring at her, and it scared her, but she wouldn't actually admit that to anyone. And no one seemed to notice, they were all absorbed in their own grief, and that suited Maria just fine. Maria had spent a lot of time just walking around town. And a lot of time at Calhoun park, sitting on the swings. Which was exactly where she was headed. She had just left Liz's funeral. But she felt claustrophobic being around all those people.

She sat on the swing pushing herself slightly with the toe of her black shoe. Her head was rested against the chain and her eyes were closed tightly. She was wishing, hoping, praying, for anything.

"Maria." She heard a voice and jerked her head up, a girl, who looked to be a few years older than her was sitting beside her.

"Do I know you?"

"Yeah." The girl sighed. "But you probably don't remember me." Maria just stared at her. She had no idea. The girl reached out and touched the back of Maria's hand that was gripping the chain.

Maria gasped at the shock of electricity that shot through her hand. "Who are you?" Maria shook her head and stood up quickly. "Whatever, whoever you are, leave me alone." This couldn't be good. She looked down at her hand, there was no mark, but the pain was still there. Maria turned and quickly started walking away from the strange girl.

"Ava!" She yelled and Maria froze. She spun around and shook her head.

"Who are you? How do you know that name?"

"Oh my sweet Ava." The girl walked forward but Maria backed away cautiously. "Ava, it's me." She reached out and grasped Maria's hand in her own, this time not letting go.

Maria gasped softly. "Serena?" Neither moved for several long moments before Maria stepped forward and threw her arms around her, around the woman that was her sister. "Serena!" Serena held onto Maria tightly before pulling back a little.

"We need to talk." Maria nodded quickly and Serena kissed her forehead. They walked for a little while, back into the center of town and found a little coffee shop where they camped out at the back corner table.

"Tell me everything." Maria whispered.

"After..." She sighed softly. "After I was killed... they wanted to try the whole pod thing. Just in case, because they realized their royalty could be killed and that was that. So, they sent me down here for safe keeping. And then ... you were all killed." Serena reached across the table and squeezed Maria's hand. "I am so sorry, I tried to keep you safe, I tried to get you out of there, I failed."

"I don't blame you Serena." Maria squeezed back. "It was my own fault... I had an affair with Rath. I was pregnant. Zan... killed me."

"I know. After that all happened, the deaths. The kingdom was taken over, Vilandra was betrayed by Kivar, he killed her. They sent you all down here, with protectors, but, they protectors didn't survive. So they sent this... thing. That told me of what had happened, told me where you had been hidden."

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Maria asked, with tears in her eyes.

"I came out of the pod just a few years before you guys did. I've been living in Arizona. I was having the dreams... I knew something was wrong. So I went back to where they had found me, I was actually in the forest outside of Flagstaff. I found my pod. I found that thing that told me where to find you. Here, in Roswell. So I came as soon as I could." 

"Everything is so messed up Serena. Everything."

"I know it is. And I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you on Antar, I couldn't protect you here. You ended up with... that man. And... if I had known, Ava, I would have come sooner, please believe me, Ava. I never wanted you to get hurt."

"I know." Maria nodded a little. "He's dead." Maria whispered softly. "I think... I did it." Serena lifted her head and then shook it slowly.

"You didn't."

"How do you know?"

Serena looked down at her lap before lifting her head again to meet her sister's eyes. "Because I did. I went there, you were both unconscious. You ... there was so much blood." Serena's jaw trembled. I took him, and I killed him, and I buried him in Frasier woods. And then I went back, and you still hadn't moved. I was so afraid, so afraid that you were dead, but you weren't. You were healing yourself, very slowly. There was so much damage, and you had used so much of your energy... I put you in the closet, I knew you would heal, but I couldn't risk being found there, or else all eyes would have been on me for Hank." 

Maria gripped Serena's hand tighter. "You did?" She nodded slowly, and then Maria nodded. "For me?"

"Everything is always for you Maria, you're the most important thing to me... you're the only thing I have."

Maria was walking down the hallway, caught up in her own world. Thinking about Serena, her sister. It had been a about two weeks since Liz's death. Since her sister suddenly appeared. She pulled away from everyone even more than before. She was hiding Serena from them. Serena was her secret. Not theirs. She felt a hand grab her arm and shrieked in surprise. And then she came face to face with Michael. "What are you doing?" She hissed.

"I need to talk to you. And since you keep avoiding me, and not letting me say a damn thing."

"What makes you think you deserve to!?" She opened her mouth, ready to yell at him, and scream and argue, but suddenly she felt his lips crashing down against hers. She gasped, and then moaned and melted into his arms. Completely unaware to the audience that had gathered around the couple, kissing quite passionately in the middle of the hallway.

He broke the kiss and looked at her. "I like you. I wasn't hiding you. Courtney was a friend. I didn't know you saw that. I didn't know it would bother you. Friends, that's all we are. So I am sorry." He told her and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Forgive me?"

"Michael..." She whispered, still obviously to the crowd.

He stepped back and wiggled his eyebrows. "I would like to make an announcement." He proclaimed loudly, and it was only then that Maria realized the other people. "I made a mistake. I hurt one of the nicest people I've ever met." He moved closer to her again and rested his hands on the sides of her neck. "The most beautiful young woman that ever bothered to look at me." He leaned down and brushed his lips softly against hers. "Maria... Ava. We're supposed to be together, and you know it." He whispered.

"Oh Michael." Her voice cracked and she kissed him back passionately.

"Alright, break it up." Principal Forrester said as he walked down the hallway. "Don't you have a class to get to?"

"Sorry sir." Michael smirked and grabbed Maria's hand and dragged her with him down the hallway and pulled her into the eraser room. "Now, before you say anything. I'm sorry. I hurt you and I never meant to. Maria you are the first girl I actually cared about. I want to be with you. I want you to stop pulling away from us, from me. I've barely seen you for more than a minute at a time since," he sighed. "Since Liz was shot."

"She was one of the first friends I made Michael."

"I know Maria.'

"Hank is dead." 

Michael sighed. "I know."

"Do you think I did it?" She asked quietly as she sunk down to the floor.

"What?" He shook his head quickly. "Maria, the thought never crossed my mind."

"Why not?"

"Alex told me that you refused to use your powers against Hank, you didn't trust them." 

"But you talked about it."

"I asked if you would use your powers to protect yourself if you had to. He said no." 

"But I did." Michael slid down to the floor in front of her.

"Used your powers?" She nodded. "Against Hank?" She nodded again. "Did you kill him?" Michael asked softly as he reached out to push some hair back from her face.

"No." Maria shook her head. "But I wanted to... Oh god I wanted to. He came at me with a knife..."

"A knife?"

"After he hit me... over and over. He tried to touch me... tugged at my jacket... touched my thigh." Michael saw red. Hank was a very lucky man, that he was already dead, because Michael was plotting how to destroy him piece by piece. "I screamed, and I tried to get away from him. The knife. My powers, they... I couldn't control them. The furniture was floating... like hovering off the ground. He went for his gun, and ... In that instant I wanted him dead. I saw this bright light, and I hit my head on the cabinet, and Hank was unconscious on the floor on the other side of the trailer." Maria had tears rolling down her cheeks but she hadn't even noticed, until Michael wiped them away.

"Do you know how he died?" Maria nodded very slowly.

"How?"

"Serena." Maria whispered.

"Serena? Who is that?" Michael shook his head. He didn't know of any Serena's.

"My sister." She whispered even quieter.

"Sister?"

"Like us. She died before I met you. She was... trying to save me. I ended up with Zan, and... they sent her to Earth. Then... then our affair, and... they sent us. She is twenty-five."

"Are you sure it's her Maria? I mean... are you sure?"

"I am positive Michael. It's her. It's my sister. I have real family." She smiled a little.

Michael sighed and pulled Maria against his chest in a hug. "You've always had a family, you just didn't know. We are your family too, please stop shutting us all out."

"Max scares me." She whispered.

"What?" Michael pulled back and looked at her, but before she could respond the door opened and Max was standing in the doorway, an angry expression on his face.

"Do you really think that public display was necessary?"

"Yes." Michael told him simply. "Now fuck off."

Isabel was smiling across the table at Alex as they ate dinner at Senior Chows. He had insisted on taking her someplace nice, after all the drama of the last few weeks. "You're sweet you know that?"

"Well, I try." He chuckled. After they finished eating they continued to just sit in the dimly lit booth. "You know I love you."

"Yes." Isabel nodded.

"Then marry me." She smiled and laughed softly.

"I thought we'd already discussed this. You're going to marry me after college."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it, a lot. I still plan to marry you officially after college, big wedding and all that. But I want you to be my wife. Right after graduation." Isabel looked at him a little surprised, and watched in awe as he pulled out a diamond ring. "It had better fit, I hocked one of my guitars to afford this." He held the ring out towards her. A simple band with a three stones, the one in the center was larger than the two on either side.

"Oh my god Alex." She gasped out and grabbed his hand to look closer at the ring. 

"Are you going to say yes? Or are you going to just stare?" Alex laughed nervously.

"Oh my god, Alex! What do you think?" She stuck her hand out for him to slip the ring onto her hand. The ring was a perfect fit. She smiled, and felt the tears well up in her eyes. "I love you." She whispered and leaned across the table to capture his lips in a soft kiss.

"I love you too." He stroke her cheek and smiled. "So much."

Maria was sitting close to Michael as they sat on the couch at the Evans', he had his arm around her shoulders, keeping her against his side. Kyle and Tess were at the other end, Max was sitting in a chair by himself, and Isabel and Alex were standing in front of them, smiling like idiots. "We're getting married!" Isabel shrieked and held her hand out. Michael's jaw dropped. Tess shrieked and jumped to her feet. Max just glared.

"You're what?"

"We're getting married, officially right after graduation, And then Alex is going to school, and then when he's done, we're going to get married, a big fancy wedding." Isabel smiled as Tess exclaimed about the beauty of the ring.

"You can't be serious." Max said crossing his arms over his chest, Isabel was taken aback.

"Yes, I am." She said giving him a dirty look. "Either be happy, or shut up."

"You're supposed to be with Michael." He growled and Isabel shook her head.

"What are you talking about?"

"And Ava is mine." Max snapped giving Maria a look.

"Stop it Max. Stop it right now."

"What are you guys talking about?" Tess asked confused.

"She wasn't yours then man, she isn't yours now." Michael said climbing to his feet.

"Just drop it Max." Alex said, slipping his arm around Isabel's waist.

"And you never should have found out." Max raised his hand and Alex was flying across the room, his back slammed against the mirror hanging by the front door.

"Alex!" Isabel screamed.

"No!" Maria yelled and stood up.

"Holy shit!" Kyle exclaimed. "What the hell is going on!?" He started to stand up, but when Max directed his hand at him he suddenly was pinned down to the couch and couldn't move.

"Stop it Max!" Maria cried.

"You whore." Max roared and advanced towards her. Tess was in his way first, then Isabel and Michael. "Get out of my way." He said to Tess who just shook her head.

"I don't know what is going on... but you will not hurt her."

"Watch me." He lifted his hand and Maria's feet left the ground. She hit the ceiling and screamed.

"Max! Let me go!"

"Maria!" Michael yelled looking up at her. This wasn't happening. He reached up and grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back down to him, but she wouldn't budge. He could see the fear in her eyes, and it matched his own.

Max smirked and backhanded Tess before grabbing his sister's wrist. "You won't marry him. I won't allow it." He grabbed her ring and tried to pull it off, but was caught off guard by Alex who tackled him.

"Won't allow it?! Who the hell are you?" Alex punched Max hard in the face and for a split second, his concentration was lost. Maria fell to the ground, and Kyle managed to get to his feet. Alex stood up and shook his head. He looked at Isabel and it was long enough for Max to get to his feet. He darted into the kitchen and came back a moment later with a large knife in his hand.

Maria screamed. "You're going to die the same way you did before. But tell me... did he knock you up this time?" Max raised an eyebrow and started towards Maria. Alex went towards Max, but was blasted into the wall again, this time he didn't get back up. Michael stood in front of Maria, but soon found himself flying backwards as well. Isabel lifted her hand to Max, but he knocked her back first.

Maria backed up, trying to get away from Max, until she bumped against the door. She couldn't get out in time. She knew it. It was her fate. So she stared at him and waited. Max roared and lunged at her, but Maria never felt the pain of the knife, only the weight of Tess being pushed against her. "No." She whispered and looked down and saw the knife sticking out of Tess' stomach. "No!" She screamed. Tess slumped down to the ground and Maria lifted her head up to look at Max.

"How could you? You killed me once... you let Liz die. You watched her die! And now this?! All of this pain and suffering!" She looked around the room at all of her wounded friends. The anger was building up inside of her. Hotter and hotter. More and more. Maria screamed and all of the pent up energy came out. Max went flying backwards, and into the wall.

Maria dropped down to her knees and pressed her hands desperately against the wound in Tess' stomach. "Tess? Sweetie? Open your eyes?" They fluttered open slowly. "Stay with me okay? We're going to get you help." Maria stared at the knife and then carefully wrapped her hand around it and pulled it out. Tess let out a wail of pain and Maria pressed harder against the wound. "Michael!? Isabel?! Please!" Michael scrambled to his feet and rushed to her. He dropped down on the other side of her and pressed his hands against the wound as well. "Help me." She whispered and he nodded. Together they began to focus, trying to heal the wound. After a moment their concentration was interrupted when Isabel joined them. 

Several moments later the wound was healed and Tess was crying softly. She threw her arms around Maria and held on as tightly as she could, and Maria just hugged her back. Michael's hand was resting on Maria's back, rubbing gently, while Isabel got up to see to Alex and Kyle, and lastly Max, who was still unconscious.

"We all need to talk later." Michael sighed as Kyle rubbed his head and held Tess' hand in his.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

It was now hours later, they had all just returned from the Hospital after Max had been taken. He was still unconscious and had showed no real signs of waking up any time soon. They gathered at the Valenti's and they were all just sitting there, staring at each other.

"Are any of you going to talk?" Kyle asked. He'd watched as his girlfriend had been stabbed, and then she was fine. Perfectly fine, all that she had was a glowing handprint on her stomach.

"We... are aliens." Maria said softly and the two just stared at her. "The crash in '47, it was real. We were on it."

"Explain."

"We were in pods, like incubators, remember that month about thirteen years ago where they found the four kids wandering in the desert? That was us."

"What was up with Max? Why did he go all psycho?" None of the aliens had an answer.

"Call Serena." Michael said softly, nudging Maria.

"Serena? Who is that?" Isabel asked confused.

"My sister."

"She's like us?" Maria nodded. "How come you didn't tell us sooner?"

"I just found out about her myself. She was living in Arizona." Not much later Serena arrived and they told her about what had happened.

"We'll go to the hospital. Maria, you'll have to hide me. I may be able to help him."

The group gathered back at the hospital. Michael and Isabel stood guard in the doorway, and Maria stood beside Michael, eyes clenched shut as she concentrated on hiding Serena from anyones sight. Serena stood beside Max and gently rested her hands on either side of his head. She closed her eyes tightly and concentrated, trying to find any damage, trying to heal him.

She broke the connection several moments later, her breathing labored. "Serena? You okay?" Maria asked softly hurrying to her sister's side.

"The seal." She whispered.

"What?"

"That's why he did what he did... it was the Seal, it... it activated itself... finding you. And they messed up. It was to make him remember, to want to follow his destiny, but it was too powerful."

"Can you help him?" Isabel asked in a panic.

"I think I did... but we won't know until he wakes up."

They all waited anxiously for what seemed like hours, for Max to wake up. Michael had taken up residence on the floor, near the door, with Maria resting against his chest.

"Liz." Max's voice was just barely above a whisper, but everyone heard it. They all quickly scrambled to their feet.

"Max?" Isabel whispered.

"Iz? What happened?" Max shook his head.

Isabel sighed and gently took his hand. "Are you okay?"

"I... Where is Liz?"

"Max, she's dead."

"What?!" Max tried to sit up, but his head was spinning. "No!"

"She was shot, at the Crashdown, a month ago."

"No! We had a date last night."

"No, you didn't Max." Isabel told him and quickly looked around the room, asking anyone for help. Michael walked over to the bed and looked down at Max.

"Maxwell. She's dead. I'm sorry... but she is. You tried to kill Maria too. Almost killed Tess in the process."

"What? No, you're... you're lying!"

"No, he's not." Kyle spoke up.

"They know what we are." Maria told him quietly.

Tess lifted the hem of her shirt a little to show the silver handprint. "You stabbed me."

"No." Max whispered.

"Get in a circle you guys." Serena said closing the door, she waved her hand over it and melted the lock.

"What? We going to sing Kumbaya?" Kyle asked.

"Just do it. And hold hands."

"Oh, touchy feely." Alex remarked.

"Shut up, both of you." Serena rolled her eyes and stood beside Maria and grasped her hand. "Just do it." Slowly they began to move closer, cautiously grabbing each other's hands. Alex and Kyle refused to hold hands so Tess and Isabel had rolled their eyes and switched places with the boys.

Finally they were all arranged, holding hands. Isabel held Max's hand, and Alex's, Tess was beside him, and Kyle beside her. Then was Serena, and Maria, and Michael, who had grabbed onto Max's hand.

"Close your eyes." They all did and a moment later a calm feeling washed over the group.

The first thing they all saw was Serena, a young child, stumbling from her pod, confused and scared.

Then Michael, Isabel and Max breaking free from their own pods. Michael stopped to look at the other one still in her pod.

The trio being found near the side of the road by the Evans'.

Maria being found by Sheriff Valenti.

Michael, Isabel, and Max at school, meeting Alex, Tess and Kyle, instantly becoming friends.

Kyle's mom leaving.

Michael beating up a boy for making fun of Tess.

The first time Alex found Maria. Taking her in, taking care of her.

Flash after flash. Different stages of their lives. More recently Liz being shot. Michael felt Maria shake and tightened his grip on her hand.

And then Max. Being overcome by the seal, and nearly killing his friends.

The flashes ended and they all slowly opened their eyes and looked at each other. Maria was crying softly and she threw her arms around Michael and held him tightly.

"I'm sorry." Max whispered. "I'm sorry." He knew that didn't even begin to make up for what he had done. "Maria, I am sorry." She nodded slowly pulling back a little from Michael.

The door opened a moment later. "What are you kids doing?" Diane Evans stood in the doorway, and then she saw Max was awake and gasped softly. "Oh my baby." She rushed to his side and hugged him tightly.

Slowly the group began to leave. "Maria?" Serena said as they walked out of the hospital. "I've been looking at apartments..."

"You're staying?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Maria smiled.

"But, I wanted to know, if you wanted to move in with me. I know you're with the Valenti's right now... and if you want to stay with them then that is fine, but... if I should look for a bigger apartment, let me know."

Slowly Maria nodded. "I would really like that."

Over the next few weeks Serena found an apartment, and Maria told Sheriff Valenti that she was moving in with her sister. Jim had been sad, but encouraged them to come over often, letting Maria know she was still part of their family. Max had drifted apart from the group since the incident, depressed about Liz, and about hurting his friends. And no one really objected. He went through the motions of his normal life, and just didn't hang out with them anymore.

It was early Christmas morning. Maria was tiredly leaning against Michael's side. Serena was sitting on the floor in front of the tree. Kyle and Tess were at the other end of the couch, and Isabel and Alex hadn't arrived yet. There was wrapping paper strewn about the room, and Tess had a bow stuck to the top of her head. "The perfect present for me." Kyle had laughed as he stuck it in her hair.

Maria and Tess had grown much closer in the wake of Max's attack. And Maria was genuinely happy. She had a family. Her sister, her boyfriend, her friends, and Jim. Who Maria had noticed had disappeared into the kitchen with Amy over half an hour ago. She was afraid to go in there.

"Hey." Michael kissed her temple and handed her a small box. "Merry Christmas."

Maria tilted her head back and looked up at him. "What did you get me?" She asked softly sitting up a little straighter to open the box. She gasped softly at what she saw inside. A pair of pearl earrings. "Michael." She whispered softly.

"Isabel helped me pick them out...and Tess... and my mom." He rolled his eyes. "They apparently think I can't manage to buy you something nice."

Maria smiled and touched the nameplate necklace he had gotten her for her birthday. "I know you can. Thank you." She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "I don't know how to... thank you. I ..." She sighed. "What I got you doesn't really compare." She sighed again and picked up the box.

Michael took the box and dug into it quickly. Then promptly gaped at the contents. "Maria..."

"I know... it's stupid." Maria shook her head. "I just thought that... since you liked them that. It might be something cool, but... I know. It really isn't." Michael grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her firmly on the lips.

"Thank you." He looked back into the box and pulled out the stack of Metallica records that were inside. Each and every single one was autographed. "This is... amazing." He was in awe of her.

"You mean it?" She'd never really gotten anything for anyone before.

"I love it." He told her and hugged her close. "I love you." He whispered against her ear. Maria froze for a moment. He loved her? They had been dating for several months, and they were very close. She'd been helping him remember more about their past life. About their time together. Their love. But he had told her he wasn't sure if he could be that same man she loved.

And she knew he wasn't the same. But he was in so many ways. And he loved her. "I love you." She murmured back and kissed him softly.

"Hey guys!" Isabel and Alex exclaimed as they came through the door gifts in arms. Maria got up and hugged Alex tightly.

"Nice earrings." Isabel smiled.

"Thanks." Maria laughed softly.

Michael got up off the couch, carefully setting his box aside. "You guys have to try this thing my mom made." Michael said heading for the kitchen.

"No Michael don't!" Maria exclaimed but it was too late. He walked into the kitchen and a second later was yelling and walking back out. Followed by a disheveled Amy and Jim.

"Michael! Honey!"

"Oh my god!" Kyle shook his head. "I can't believe you two!"

"Son, now we are the adults here-"

"Exactly! You're the adults! We're not supposed to find you making out in every dark corner of the house!" Kyle ran his hands over his face. "You're worse than any of us!"

"We're getting married!" Amy exclaimed suddenly holding out her hand.

Everyones jaws dropped.

"What?!" Michael shook his head. "Mom..."

"Dad!"

Maria covered her mouth with her hand, shocked. Isabel and Alex turned to conceal their laughter.

"Congratulations!" Serena yelled from her spot on the floor.

"Thank you sweetie." Amy smiled.

Maria looked at Michael and then Kyle. It was twisted. If Jim was her 'father' and Amy was going to be his wife, what did that make Michael to her? Aside from her boyfriend. "Congratulations you guys." Maria told them and walked over to give Jim a hug.

"The ring is beautiful." Tess smiled.

Alex and Isabel calmed their laughter and chimed in with their congratulations.

Then everyone looked at Kyle and Michael. "Does this mean we won't catch you two making out in the pantry anymore?" Michael asked scratching his eyebrow.

"Or on the couch?" Kyle asked.

"The kitchen table." Michael shook his head.

"So we're eating dinner in here right?" Serena asked slightly alarmed.

Michael walked over and hugged Amy finally. "I'm happy for you mom." He said quietly and she smiled.

"Thank you sweetie." Amy kissed his cheek.

Maria joined Michael again and slid her hand into his. "This wasn't exactly the family I had dreams about as a child."

"No?" Michael asked surveying the room. Jim and Amy had sat down, more presents were being passed out as Alex and Isabel joined the group around the tree.

"No." Maria laughed softly. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything." Michael kissed her forehead and hugged her close.

"Maria sweetie! Come on, there are gifts to open." Amy smiled holding a box out to her. Maria nodded and tugged Michael back into the circle around the tree and thanked Amy.

Finally, she had the family she had always wanted. It was just a little different than she had expected.


End file.
